how to price their plans for 2018while anthem had warned that it might leave some or all of the states where it offers individual plans its exit from ohio signals that even some of the markets stalwarts are unnerved aetna and humana have said they do not plan to participate next year after losing money but anthem appeared be turning the cornerif anthem were to exit the federal health insurance exchanges entirely there could be hundreds of thousands of people without any option on the exchange said cynthia cox an executive at the kaiser family foundationin the last few weeks two other blue cross companies announced that they were dropping out of exchanges in nebraska and in parts of kansas and missouri iowas blue cross plan has also said it does not plan to offer plans on the exchange next yearthe exit leaves insurance regulators with the prospect that some of their residents may not be offered a plan in 2018for the past few years we have seen a weakening in the federal insurance marketplace as a number of companies have withdrawn from the exchange the ohio insurance agency said in an email we have always argued the private insurance market is the most severely impacted by the federal law and that is where congressional action is needed to restore stabilityeven when insurers are staying the uncertainty and concern over the health of people in the market is leading many to file eyepopping rate increases for next year in maine harvard pilgrim health care is asking for an average price increase of about 40 percent while anthem which warned state regulators that it might have to revisit its plans depending on what happens wants a 21percent increasesome state regulators are asking the insurers to file various rates based on what happens but the different scenarios can lead to much higher rates in pennsylvania teresa miller the states insurance commissioner said in a statement this month that the five carriers had requested an average increase of 9 percent demonstrating that the market is stabilizing and insurers are better understanding the markets and the population they servebut the increases could be much higher prices would go up by 20 percent if there was no longer funding for subsidies the regulator said rates could also be higher if the trump administration does not enforce the tax penalty on people without insurance