Barry V Goldstein & Associates, LLC

CVS Health has agreed to acquire Aetna for $69 Billion.

NYS has released the summary of requested 2018 rate actions. Here is a quick look at some downstate carriers: Small Group - Oxford +11.4%, Care Connect +19.3%, Aetna +14.2%, Healthfirst +10%, Oscar -3.2%. Empire's rate request is still under evaluation. Individual - Affinity +23.5%, Care Connect +29.7%, Fidelis +8.5%, Oscar +11.1%.

The risk corridors portion of the ACA is what allowed carriers (especially the Co-ops) to keep their rates low for those purchasing Individual Health Policies. Without this, as we started to see this year, rates will increase exponentially. Apparently the risk corridors portion of the ACA was not an agreement to pay but just an idea of how the program could work. Things like this, along with kicking the penalty aspects down the road, are what is causing the ACA to fall apart.

Individual Market - Carrier Submission Deadlines as follows: All On-Exchange business must be submitted to the carrier by 12/15 for processing. There are no exceptions made as this is administered by CMS. New York Off-Exchange Deadlines: CareConnect (North Shore LIJ): December 23rd. Oscar Insurance - December 31st.