Datapoint: Mississippi Could Create State-Based Exchange

April 25

Mississippi lawmakers last week introduced legislation that would establish a state-run health exchange, transitioning the state away from the federal marketplace. “If you have a state-based exchange, you can lower the cost of insurance for folks who buy off the exchange,” Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney told local news outlet WLBT. “We can lower premiums more. We can offer more options. We can do a lot of things to help preventive healthcare within the state, especially in the rural areas of the state. This is a good plan.” Just over 180,000 people are currently enrolled in exchange plans in Mississippi, with Centene Corp. leading the pack at 86% market share.

Source: AIS’s Directory of Health Plans