UnitedHealthcare has announced plans to offer insurance policies on Alabama's federal- operated exchange this year after opting out in 2013, according to an Insurance Journal report.
UHC will join Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama in offering plans in all 67 Alabama counties. This is the second year BCBS of Alabama is offering coverage in every county in the state. In Jefferson, Shelby and Madison counties, Humana was and will continue to be offered as well.
The addition of UHC policies will increase competition in Alabama, which had the least competitive insurance marketplace last year, according to the report.
Despite the lack of competition, nearly 98,000 Alabamians selected a plan off of the exchange. An additional 23,000 residents discovered they or their children qualified for Medicaid or the state's Children’s Health Insurance Program.
The enrollment period for 2015 health plans begins next month and continues through Feb. 15 of next year. Thus far, UHC prices have not been released.