Apparently in Anthem’s opinion, adding the O’care mandates to the current PPO will make it unprofitable. What many of the “name” companies in the exchanges are doing is creating a subset of their regular plan, using cheaper hospitals and more compliant Doctors. In some cases, they’re adjusting to the financial realities by boosting co-pays, boosting deductables, etc. One of the California plans offers zero coverage if you go outside the plan.
2014 doesn’t have the elimination of the lifetime maximum. When that goes into effect in 2015, it’ll boost premiums again.
As far as keeping one’s individual physician, it’s going to be up to each doctor to determine whether they can make a living from the pared-down contracts, and up to each insurer to decide whether they want to offer them one.
Though it’s not strictly a zero sum game, health policy is pretty close to one. Every additional “benefit” has to be paid for by either new revenue, or a cut somewhere else.
I posted this comment on another thread before I saw your ping: