When a health insurance company decides to stop offering plans in a state's ACA marketplace, it is not just a business announcement. For tens of thousands of people who purchased their coverage through that insurer, it means a disruption to the plan they chose, the doctors in their network, the drugs on their formulary, and the cost-sharing structure around which they have been managing their health care.
This disruption happens with limited notice, creates real barriers for people managing chronic conditions, and is poorly understood by most people it affects — until it happens to them. At least seven health insurers have announced plans to leave the ACA Marketplace after 2026, affecting more than 650,000 enrollees across multiple states, including Cigna, which covers about 369,000 Marketplace enrollees across 11 states.
