The State Corporation Commission recently denied a request by Sentara Optima to lower its health insurance rates in response to Anthem HealthCare’s decision to re-enter the federal marketplace in 2019 – re-creating a competitive field in the Charlottesville market.
Health care advocate Sarah Stovall says with Anthem back in, the average 40-year-old could pay half of what that person is paying now: $450 per month through Anthem, compared to $800 monthly with Optima.
STOVALL: “They have a better grasp on what their risk is going to be…I think they felt in a better position to step in…and I also think they saw that there was a massive need in our area.”
In its filing with the SCC, Optima said it could lose as much as $400 million dollars because of the denial – with better healthcare options, open enrollment will begin in November.