Big shortfall in Obamacare risk program could hurt insurers
A key federal program designed to cushion health insurers' risks in the Obamacare exchanges has a massive shortfall, which could throw some insurers into financial turmoil.
By Tami Luhby @Luhby
Insurers requested $2.87 billion in so-called "risk corridors" payments for 2014, but will only receive $362 million, or 12.6%, said the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees Obamacare.
The risk corridors program's goal is to help insurers transition into the individual exchanges, which opened in 2014. Insurers had a tough time setting premiums since they didn't know how sick their new customers would be.
Under the three-year program, insurers whose premiums exceeded claims pay into the fund, while their peers who didn't charge enough premiums to cover claims could draw from it.
But too many insurers miscalculated when they set their rates for 2014