Knoxville, Tenn., could be the first city in the U.S. where Obamacare completely collapses, leaving tens of thousands of people without the option to buy a subsidized insurance policy.

Humana, the city’s only remaining insurance provider on its Obamacare exchange, announced it is exiting the market in 2018. If that happens, Knoxville citizens will be in a rough spot. Unless another insurance provider fills Humana’s place, some 40,000 people in the Knoxville area will likely be left without the option to purchase an Obamacare-subsidized insurance policy, CNN reports.

Knoxville is illustrative of one of the main problems with Obamacare: It doesn’t promote market-based competition. Insurers pull out of marketplaces where it is not cost-efficient for them to provide services, and, as a result, consumers are left with fewer options at higher prices.

Tennessee is one of the largest casualties of the current health care system. Three insurers have pulled out of the state entirely, the state’s co-op failed and premiums continue to skyrocket annually by double-digits. Tennessee’s health commissioner has all but given up, describing the state’s health care system as “very near collapse.”

As it stands, insurance providers have until July 1 to let state authorities know what plans they will provide, if any, on the exchanges in 2018. State officials expect a formal announcement from providers within two months.

Knoxville citizens would still have the option of purchasing insurance on the private marketplace. Without the Obamacare subsidy to purchase insurance, it is unclear how many consumers would choose to participate in the private insurance market.

To help struggling consumers in their state, Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker of Tennessee put forth legislation that would allow consumers to use Obamacare subsidies to purchase any state-approved insurance plan on the private marketplace. If the bill passes, it would remain in effect through 2019.

Well, maybe they should have read it before they passed it.

well, at least no one lied when they told everyone who didn't read it what they can/cant have...

Great.
Please let us know when it actually is.

Washington D.C. "could be" the first area to be hit by a nuclear missile shot off by a Russian submarine.

Phoenix AZ "could be" the first place blown up by illegal alien terrorists looking for massive casualties.

Arkansas "could be" the first state to allow brotheruncle sistermom sheep polygamous marriage.

Lots of things "could be."

Personally, I think it's far more important to know "what is" right now, at least from the "news."

well they are down to one provider.. meaning all other have already pulled out. That is played out all over America.

One choice.. don't like the provider.. tough.. don't like the deductible.. tough.. don't like the coverage.. tough

I am sure that was not the Dems had in mind when they conquered up their ill fated plan

But that is reality.

I don't remember the dems ever trying to fix anything while they were shoving down our throats, smiling and telling everyone how wonderful it is...

I opposed the ACA from the first I heard of it.

As for blaming the EXACT mess that it has become in particular places, that requires more work, if you aren't just going to be a biased, eyes-closed cheerleader for or against only one side.

The ACA was a bad idea to begin with, but the Republicans worked extra hard to sabotage it even further. They used their control of a lot of State Legislatures in particular, to prevent the expansion of Medicaid, which was supposed to allow people to afford the higher priced offerings. Tennessee was one of the states where the GOP acted to prevent the ACA from working, so it's no surprise that it's one of the places where it isn't doing well.

But as far as I'm concerned, the whole idea that medical care should be priced and delivered based on INSURANCE COVERAGE, is abjectly stupid and self-destructive, if not outright insane.

I see it as foresight, not really preventing it from working, since all republicans voted no to it... Seems they had the same thoughts as you since the inception...

I disagree. They specifically SAID that they were acting to sabotage it, along with anything and everything else that Obama wanted to try.

I don't think they said sabotage, they were just opposed to it... They knew it would break the country...