Blue Cross to small biz: We're officially leaving Obamacare exchange

Crain's Chicago Business reports:

Calling all small businesses with a Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois plan through the Obamacare public health insurance exchange: Look out for an email this week informing you that the state's largest insurer is officially leaving the online marketplace.

That leaves small employers looking for an exchange plan for 2018 with one option: downstate Health Alliance. Chicago-based Blue Cross, which has a dominating market share in Illinois among consumers and small businesses alike, still plans to woo small employers with plans off the exchange.

To be sure, the so-called Small Business Health Options Program, or SHOP, where small businesses nationwide can buy coverage on the federally-run online marketplace HealthCare.gov, never gained steam for a host of reasons. For one, small employers prefer trusted brokers instead of using their time to navigate the incredibly complex world of health insurance.

In Illinois, 738 businesses, covering 3,512 workers had a plan through SHOP as of January. For the roughly three dozen states that use HealthCare.gov, a total of 7,554 companies covering nearly 39,000 people signed up.

The sad moments of ObamaCare and cartelized health insurance.