Anthem plans to leave Obamacare insurance market in Ohio in 2018

Anthem Inc, one of the largest sellers of Obamacare individual health insurance, will exit most of the Ohio market next year because of volatility and uncertainty about whether the government will continue to provide subsidies aimed at making the plans affordable, it said on Tuesday.

Republicans are trying to cut off the subsidy payments in court proceedings and President Donald Trump has made conflicting statements about whether the government should continue paying them.

Indianapolis-based Anthem has been reviewing participation in all 14 states where it sells Blue Cross Blue Shield plans as it has faced deadlines to submit premium rates for 2018.

Anthem is the only insurer selling health insurance exchange products in all 88 Ohio counties in 2017 and is the only insurer in 20 counties, according to Ohio Department of Insurance spokesman Chris Brock.

In 2018, the move would leave about 10,500 people in at least 18 counties with no insurer.

(Reporting by Caroline Humer in New York; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)