Texas: Not enough 2021 rate data available to analyze, but some interesting stuff...

Unfortunately, it looks like only some of the 2021 ACA individual market premium rate filings have been uploaded to the SERFF database as of today, so I'm unable to calculate anything even close to an accurate weighted average. There are, however, several noteworthy items on the TX market:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of TX, which held 38% of the market last year, is asking to raise premiums by 4% on average. They have around 249,000 policyholders, but I'm not sure how many actual covered lives that equates to...it should be roughly 405,000 assuming 1.6 people per policy, which is what it was last year.

• Centene Corporation, which also brands itself as Ambetter, and which offers plans under the name Celtic, will be offering plans in Texas under the name "Superior Health Plan" next year. Hey guys, here's an idea: Pick a name and stick with it.

• Friday Health Insurance will be a new entry into the Texas ACA market next year.
• El Paso First will also be a new entrant into Texas, off-exchange only...except this appears to be a rebranding (or subsidiary) of Sendero Health Plans, which will also be offered.
• Community Health Choice, a non-profit HMO, is not showing up as offering ACA market plans in the SERFF database...yet. This might just be a delay, however, as I did find a document which makes it sound like there was some sort of paperwork issue in June which they're trying to work out.

• Finally, the Insurance Co. of Scott & White is asking to reduce their 2021 premiums by a jaw-dropping 54%...which sounds pretty stunning until you learn that they only have 180 people enrolled in their ACA policies. I don't know if they're looking to salvage this business line or if they're deliberately winding it down (they had around 2,000 enrollees last year). I'd say the former, except that they're also offering plans under the "Scott & White" label in Texas, so who knows?