UnitedHealth May Ditch Obamacare

Despite of UnitedHealth Group Inc. efforts to cut down on sign-ups their 2016 Affordable Care Act exchanges enrollment has surge and this caused the company significant losses.

UnitedHealth, which is the biggest U.S. health insurer said, they are expecting losses of more than $500 million on its 2016 Obamacare plans, compared with previous projections that amounted to $400 million to $425 million in losses.

The company has done some steps to reduce their exchange business exposure in anticipation of losses, like cutting down on marketing and slashing commissions to health-insurance agents.
However, enrollment still grew, widening their exposure. UnitedHealth Group Chief Executive Stephen J. Hemsley said the new projection reflected “prudence,” as the company sought to ensure it had covered all possible losses.

On Tuesday, the UnitedHealth reported their financial outlook for 2016, they expect $7.60 to $7.80 in adjusted earnings per share and at least $180 billion in revenue. Its shares closed up 3% at $112.58, as investors shrugged off the exchange comments amid strong results elsewhere in the company’s portfolio.

But UnitedHealth’s move comes amid continued worries about the exchange business—concerns that the company jump-started in November, when it disclosed expected 2016 losses and said it would consider withdrawing from the health-law marketplaces, a decision expected to be made later this year.

What would an exit by UnitedHealth Group mean for Obamacare?

It would mean higher premiums as well cost sharing for consumers, particularly in small markets where UnitedHealth is a big player.

Congressional Budget Office: Obamacare Will result to Loss of 2 million Jobs, Shrink the Economy

Last Tuesday the Congressional Budget Office said that the Obamacare or healthcare law will diminish work hours that is equivalent to 2 million full-time jobs in 2017.

The latest U.S. fiscal outlook which is a non-partisan CBO indicated that the Obamacare will affect the workforce of the country particularly those who are in the lower income bracket. Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf said that workers will limit their hours so that they will not lose federal subsidies that is provided by the law to help pay for health insurance and other healthcare costs.

The country will feel its impact in 2017 owing to the fact that major provisions of Obamacare

The biggest impact would begin in 2017, CBO said, because major provisions of the law will have started by then. They said that on 2024 the work hours will shrunk by equivalent of 2.5 million jobs.

He further said, "The act creates a disincentive for people to work."

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis that the law will not lay off workers but people will choose not to work because of this provision.

"As a result ... that (lower) labor supply lowers economic growth," Ryan said.

Elmendorf answered: "Yes, that's right."

Ryan added that this would mean that few people would be joining the middle class.

"It's adding insult to injury," he said. "As the welfare state expands, the incentive to work declines meaning grow the government, you shrink the economy."