Two major insurers are pulling out of Ohio's Affordable Care Act marketplace for 2027, leaving roughly 54,000 Ohioans needing to find new health coverage before the year ends. CareSource and Molina Healthcare of Ohio both confirmed they will not offer marketplace plans in the state next year, citing rising healthcare costs and shifting market conditions.
The announcement was also reported by Springfield News-Sun, and means current CareSource members will keep their coverage through the end of 2026 but will need to choose a new plan during open enrollment. CareSource covered approximately 28,300 people through Ohio's ACA marketplace as of May 2026, according to the state. The company's exit does not affect its Medicaid or MyCare Ohio plans.
Together, CareSource and Molina Healthcare of Ohio currently cover about 54,000 Ohioans through the state's marketplace, according to the Ohio Department of Insurance. Molina Healthcare of Ohio is part of Molina Healthcare Inc.
A Pullback Years in the Making
CareSource's Ohio exit isn't an isolated move. The insurer already withdrew from individual ACA exchanges in Kentucky, Michigan, and North Carolina for the 2026 plan year, according to Becker's Payer Issues. For 2027, the company is withdrawing from Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia altogether, affecting nearly 90,000 enrollees across those three states, per Healthinsurance.org, while continuing to sell marketplace products only in Georgia, Nevada, and Wisconsin. CareSource's Ohio exit is part of a broader retreat from several state markets.
Molina's retreat is broader still. The company is shrinking its overall ACA marketplace footprint from 14 states down to just six for 2027, according to Healthcare Dive's reporting on the company's second-quarter results.
Why Ohio's Market Got This Shaky
Ohio's ACA marketplace has faced declining enrollment and rising premiums. Enhanced federal tax credits expired at the end of 2025, and average monthly premiums for Ohio consumers rose from $126 to $233, an increase of about 85%.
Nationally, at least 11 insurers — including Cigna, Molina, and CareSource — are exiting or significantly scaling back their ACA marketplace presence for 2027, per Becker's Payer Issues. The marketplace has seen declining enrollment, rising premiums and insurer exits.
What's Left for Ohio Shoppers
Ohio shoppers will still have marketplace options. AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio, Antidote Health Plan of Ohio, Buckeye Community Health Plan, Community Insurance Company, and Medical Mutual of Ohio have all filed to sell individual plans on the exchange.
Ohio uses the federally run HealthCare.gov exchange, so residents will need to act within a defined window. Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027, and Ohioans must enroll by December 15, 2026 to have coverage take effect January 1, 2027.
Costs and Federal Rule Changes Add Pressure
Even those who keep coverage may face a pricier landscape. Federal rules for 2027 also change exchange user fees.
Not every regulatory shift is working against consumers. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services lowered federal exchange user fees for 2027 to 1.9% of monthly premiums on platforms like HealthCare.gov, down from 2.5% in 2026, a move detailed in Hoodline's earlier coverage of the broader premium crisis. For now, though, the more immediate task for tens of thousands of Ohio families is simpler: find a new plan before the December 15 deadline, or risk starting 2027 without coverage.
