By Sharon Begley and Caroline Humer

(Reuters) – In a boost for President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform law, two states in the Northwest said on Friday that insurance companies submitted applications to sell policies on the states’ health insurance exchanges at rates well below what some insurance executives had predicted.

The insurance marketplaces are a key element of the reform law, which is due to take full effect in 2014. A core principle of these exchanges is that competition, along with government subsidies and other measures, will keep rates affordable.

By Caroline Humer

(Reuters) – Kentucky Democratic Governor Steve Beshear said on Thursday he will expand Medicaid coverage under President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform law, a move that will cut the state’s uninsured population almost in half.

The expansion will extend coverage to adults earning up to 133 percent of the federal poverty line, providing public health assistance to more than 300,000 people.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Tenet Healthcare Corp (THC.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) sees its hospitals playing a role in signing up uninsured Americans for President Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul, particularly in states that are balking at implementing the reform.

Tenet runs hospitals mainly in Texas and other Southern states, which have high proportions of uninsured people. It expects improvements in its business next year as more Americans obtain coverage either through subsidized insurance exchanges in each state or an expansion of the Medicaid program for the poor.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Cigna Corp (CI.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) plans to sell insurance in five public health exchanges in 2014 as part of President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform, its top executive said on Monday.

The company will offer health plans to about a dozen metropolitan regions in Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Arizona and Colorado, Chief Executive David Cordani said in an interview on Monday.

NEW YORK, May 2 (Reuters) – The nation’s largest health
insurers are far from leaping at the chance to join new state
health insurance exchanges under President Barack Obama’s reform
law, making it likely that some markets will have little or no
competition next year.

These new insurance marketplaces are due to open their doors
on Oct. 1 to enroll millions of Americans who have not been able
to buy coverage on their own.

May 2 (Reuters) – Cigna Corp on Thursday reported
higher-than-expected quarterly earnings that benefited from the
insurer’s acquisition of Medicare specialist HealthSpring and
low medical costs as visits to doctors and hospitals dropped.

Shares of the No. 5 U.S. health insurer were up 4.3 percent
on Thursday.

Competitors including UnitedHealth Group Inc,
WellPoint Inc and Aetna Inc have also posted
strong quarterly profit due to Americans’ low use of medical
services.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The nation’s largest health insurers are far from leaping at the chance to join new state health insurance exchanges under President Barack Obama’s reform law, making it likely that some markets will have little or no competition next year.

These new insurance marketplaces are due to open their doors on October 1 to enrol millions of Americans who have not been able to buy coverage on their own.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The nation’s largest health insurers are far from leaping at the chance to join new state health insurance exchanges under President Barack Obama’s reform law, making it likely that some markets will have little or no competition next year.

These new insurance marketplaces are due to open their doors on October 1 to enroll millions of Americans who have not been able to buy coverage on their own.

By Caroline Humer

(Reuters) – Humana Inc (HUM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said its quarterly profit more than doubled as customers used medical services less than expected, so the company had to pay fewer claims. Humana also raised its profit forecast for the year.

Shares in the health insurer rose 5 percent to $77.82, leading increases for industry peers who have also beat Wall Street expectations before a major overhaul of the healthcare system under President Barack Obama.

April 30 (Reuters) – Aetna Inc on Tuesday reported a
first-quarter profit that beat analyst expectations as customers
used medical services lightly and revenue in the health
insurer’s Medicare and Medicaid businesses rose 7 percent due to
higher premiums.

The company forecast increases in enrollment and raised its
2013 profit projection to account for its better first quarter.
It also added in the negative effects of government cuts to
payments for the Medicare health plan for the elderly.