Anthem is the only insurer that’s approved to offer policies for the state’s health insurance exchange market but says it is implementing a “focused network,” that includes some, but not all hospitals in the state to meet “the needs of people looking for affordability.”
 
This decision will not affect people who receive Anthem group coverage through their work places, those who bought individual insurance policies before March 23, 2010 or Medicare beneficiaries, Seacoastonline.com.
 
Those affected could include the 55% of uninsured people and the almost 700 homeless people Families First Health and Support Center serves. The center says it had planned to enroll up to 500 of its members in the exchange but counted on being able to send them to Portsmouth Regional Hospital for tests until it learned that Portsmouth is being excluded from Anthem’s state health exchange network.
 
Several of the hospitals who will not be included in the network complain that the insurer’s move will reduce many patients’ accessibility to care by forcing them to travel longer distances to in-network hospitals to obtain it.
 
Although patients can be covered to receive primary care at Families First through the health exchange they would not be eligible to see specialists from the Appledore Medical group, which is affiliated with Portsmouth Regional Hospital. This could discourage them from enrolling in the ACA health plan and seek treatment for acute illnesses at an emergency room instead, the article says. Main hospitals in Maine are being similarly affected, the article says.