Leaders from national health insurers including the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Cigna and Humana met with President Donald Trump Monday to discuss the climate of the payer industry, according to The Washington Post.
Here are five things to know about the meeting.
1. The president offered few details about his ACA replacement, which he said would curb costs and increase competition, according to the report. However, he said he would offer "something special" regarding proposed changes to the ACA in his address to Congress Tuesday, according to Bloomberg.
2. CEOs from Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna, Indianapolis-based Anthem, Durham-based BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna, Louisville, Ky.-based Humana, Philadelphia-based Independence Blue Cross, Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente, Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group and Washington, D.C.-based America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry's lobbying entity, were present at the closed-door meeting, according to the report.
3. In a public remark before the meeting, President Trump said, "We must work together to save Americans from Obamacare," according to the article. He also reportedly criticized the ACA for restricting the types of products health insurers could sell, which President Trump said increased the price of premiums and limited the number of options available to consumers purchasing exchange-based insurance.
4. Payers have sought regulation to stabilize the 2018 individual marketplace and attract more insurers. The Trump administration proposed regulations Feb. 15 that would shorten this year's open enrollment period and give insurers more time to file plans for 2018 coverage. Joseph Swedish, CEO of Anthem, thanked the president "for the swift and decisive actions" outlined in the proposed legislation, according to The Washington Post.
5. Following the meeting, Mr. Swedish told reporters President Trump said he wants to stabilize the insurance markets established by the ACA. Mark Bertolini, CEO of Aetna, also said the insurer wants to collaborate with Congress and the Trump administration on a "broader range of solutions that Americans will find valuable in managing their healthcare needs," the report states.
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