Molina Outperforms Rivals in ACA Marketplaces

Molina's approach—rigorous cost control, limited networks of doctors and hospitals and close management of patients' health—signals what can work in the health-coverage marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. Long Beach, Calif.-based Molina has done relatively well in the exchanges, where larger rivals have faltered. While UnitedHealth Group Inc., Aetna Inc. and Humana Inc., have lost millions on ACA plans and are pulling back from the marketplaces, Molina is profitable, though the margins are slim. The company projects that its margins on the exchange business this year will be within its targeted range, between 1.5% and 2%.