Anthem's exit leaves half of Virginians uninsured, claims governor

Health insurer Anthem will exit the Virginia market by next year. The move follows its exit from the Affordable Care Act marketplace in Nevada, Ohio, Wisconsin and other states amid what it has called "volatile" market conditions.

The insurer has now decided to leave the federal health insurance exchange in Virginia by 2018, citing the "uncertainty created by the president and congress".

The decision will result in more than 200,000 Virginians losing their coverage through Anthem, representing approximately half of the Virginians who purchase insurance on the exchange.

"Anthem leadership informed me this afternoon about its decision to leave the federal insurance exchange in Virginia, citing the President’s threats to cut off cost-sharing reduction payments to insurers and his deliberate efforts to dismantle the individual insurance market," said Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe in a statement.

"It’s unfortunate Anthem felt it could no longer participate in the exchange because of the uncertainty created by the President and Congress."

McAuliffe added: "Congress and the Administration must immediately take action to stabilize the health insurance market in Virginia and across the nation, or risk further harm to the millions of Americans who rely on the exchanges for affordable coverage."

"I again urge the Administration to stop playing politics with people’s lives and come together in a bipartisan way to provide certainty for insurers that cost-sharing reduction payments will continue to be funded through 2018, in order to stabilize the marketplace in the short term."