Aetna Pulling Heath Plan Out of North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina consumers buying broadly subsidized health insurance policies on the online marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act will have fewer options after a major insurer pulls out.

State Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin said Tuesday health insurer Aetna's decision to drop out of the ACA marketplace came as his office was reviewing the company's request to raise premiums by about 24 percent next year.

The move leaves Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina alone in selling marketplace policies to residents of all 100 of the state's counties.

A company spokesman says a final decision on 2017 policies is pending. The state's largest health insurer is seeking Goodwin's approval to raise premium costs by an average of almost 19 percent.

Cigna plans to sell ACA policies in Raleigh.