Connecticut’s total health insurance enrollment down in 2016

The Connecticut Insurance Department”™s annual report card on health insurance carriers licensed to sell in the state found that total enrollment in 2016 was just over 2.2 million, a decline from 2015”™s 2.4 million.

The Insurance Department noted that retirees being weaned off of corporate plans and into Medicare, as well as the impact of Medicaid and other publicly funded plans, could have been factors in the decrease.

As in the previous year, the largest share of enrollment in 2016 was in indemnity companies (88.7 percent of enrollment) and in large group plans (85.3 percent of enrollment). While there was an increase in the number of participating physician specialists from 2015 to 2016, there was a decline in the number of participating primary care providers, hospitals and pharmacies, the report found.

Anthem had Connecticut”™s largest market share both in HMO enrollments by company, with 78 percent, and in indemnity enrollments by company, with 42 percent. ConnectiCare was second in HMO enrollments with 20 percent and tied for fourth in indemnity enrollments, with its 7 percent behind Aetna Life”™s 20 percent and Cigna”™s 18 percent and equal to United Health”™s 7 percent. ConnectiCare Benefits represented 3 percent.

The data was collected by the state Insurance Department from the six HMOs and nine indemnity insurance companies it licenses in the state. The Insurance Department selected the data points, including care measures, claim denials, medical loss ratios, utilization review data, and member satisfaction survey results, based on legislation passed by the Connecticut General Assembly.