Nearly Half of Insurers Intend to Increase the Number of ACA Plans They Offer in 2020, According to eHealth Survey

A majority of insurers said sales during the most recent ACA open enrollment period closely matched expectations

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May 30, 2019, 16:15 ET

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) (eHealth.com) released results from a survey of health insurance companies touching on enrollment trends, public policy issues, and the politics of health care in the United States.

Insurers offering Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage in the individual and family market and with whom eHealth has a relationship were invited to participate in the survey, which was conducted in May 2019. A total 17 responses were received from insurers collectively insuring approximately 80 million Americans and offering ACA plans in all 50 states.

Highlights from the survey:

More than twice as many insurers intend to increase plan offerings for 2020 as compared with 2019, with premiums holding fairly steady

45 percent of respondents intend to add to the number of ACA plans they'll offer in 2020, compared to 21 percent who did so for the 2019 plan year*.
42 percent said they expect to raise premiums between 5 and 10 percent over 2019 rates. Thirty-three percent do not expect to make any noteworthy changes to premiums, while 23 percent expect to reduce monthly premiums by 5 percent or more.

A majority of insurers said that sales during the ACA's last open enrollment period were close to expectations

69 percent of insurers responding to the survey said that sales during the last open enrollment period were within 10 percent of their expectations. Fifteen percent reported that sales outpaced expectations by 10 to 15 percent, while another 15 percent of said sales were 10 percent or more below expectations.

Insurers are monitoring the "Medicare for all" discussion but few see big changes on the horizon

71 percent of respondents said they are paying attention to public discussions about "Medicare for all" but don't expect major changes, compared to 67 percent in 2018*.

Read eHealth's report for additional survey results.

Notes
* Comparison based on survey results published in September 2018.
** A previously unpublished stat from eHealth's survey originally published in September 2018.

About eHealth
eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) owns eHealth.com, a leading private online health insurance exchange where individuals, families and small businesses can compare health insurance products from brand-name insurers side by side and purchase and enroll in coverage online and over the phone. eHealth offers thousands of individual, family and small business health plans underwritten by many of the nation's leading health insurance companies. eHealth (through its subsidiaries) is licensed to sell health insurance in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. eHealth also offers educational resources, exceptional telephonic support, and powerful online and pharmacy-based tools to help Medicare beneficiaries navigate Medicare health insurance options, choose the right plan and enroll in select plans online or over the phone through Medicare.com (www.Medicare.com), eHealthMedicare.com (www.eHealthMedicare.com), GoMedigap (www.goMedigap.com) and PlanPrescriber.com (www.PlanPrescriber.com).

For media inquiries, please contact:

Sande Drew
DMA Communications for eHealth, Inc.
(916) 207-7674
[email protected]

Lisa Zamosky
Senior Director Communications, eHealth, Inc.
(917) 751-0232
[email protected]

SOURCE eHealth, Inc.