Health insurance changes for South Dakota residents

KOTA Territory News has learned that Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield will no longer offer individual Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, plans in South Dakota effective January 1st.

Wellmark notified insurance agents across the state on Tuesday saying the company lost $32 million in the healthcare exchange over the past two years.

In a news release sent to KOTA News, Wellmark says that the decision affects less than 8,000 – or two percent – of Wellmark's members in South Dakota.

The release adds the changes do not affect people who generally purchased their individual plans before 2014.

It also does not affect members with plans through their employer or those with Medicare supplement plans.

The company CEO says there are some good points to Obamacare and if state's can fix some of the problems, they will consider returning to the market place.