http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payer/states-resisted-aca-face-biggest-hurdles-2017?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal&mrkid=959610&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWmpJMlpEZzFZbVV3WXpSaSIsInQiOiI0dCs1NW9kd0ord0VnTUpDWkgzcUp6VmpOV09JNUpldnBqcTh3eUJNTithQUs5QWc0N1JBbjJRYWZmRVJRN216MjNHQ2tFNGhrQWNON2NwR0dLSkdiVTZTSGxDVEZkNVwvejNoRitlVFpGblU9In0%3D

States that are set to experience reduced competition in their health insurance exchanges also appear to be the ones that were unwilling to lay the groundwork to create a robust marketplace.

The issues that many states are now facing regarding consumer choice and premium pricingwere predicated by resistance from Republican politicians, who failed to expand Medicaid or conduct the necessary outreach to enroll healthy individuals into marketplace plans, according to the Los Angeles Times. In fact, eight of the nine states that have the fewest plan options next year refused to expand Medicaid and failed to engage in outreach.

“It’s the same basic lesson I tell my kids,” Joel Ario, a former insurance commissioner in Oregon and Pennsylvania, told the newspaper. “If you put the work into something, you will get results. If you just sit on the sidelines and complain, you shouldn’t be surprised if things don’t work out.”