Adverse Selection Got Worse As Obamacare's Open Enrollment Progressed

New data from Express Scripts, a leading pharmacy-benefits manager (PBM) indicates that adverse selection in Obamacare exchanges actually got worse as open enrollment reached its hard finish in mid-April.

However, the later sign-ups look to be in much worse shape with respect to very expensive conditions that are not so widespread:

Exchange enrollees fill 59% more prescriptions for specialty medications than other insured individuals. This disparity is especially pronounced in Exchange enrollees ages 18 to 34, who fill twice as many specialty medications as similarly aged individuals in traditional health plans.
Nearly 3 out of 5 specialty prescriptions filled by Exchange members are for HIV medication.

The younger adults are even sicker, versus their peers, than the middle-aged ones.

Read the entire column at NCPA's Health Policy Blog.