Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina willcontinue offering plans under the Affordable Care Act in all 100 counties ofNorth Carolina for 2017.

However, the company has made certain changesto the plans and benefits to prevent premiums from increasing further in 2017.The insurer plans to communicate these changes later.

Previously, the company had foran 18.8% rate hike with the North Carolina Department of Insurance forcustomers covered under the ACA. BlueCross and Blue Shield of North Carolina said it has suffered $405 million inlosses from ACA plans in the last two years, noting that these losses threatenits financial stability for the other customers it serves.

Due to these losses, there were previousreports that thecompany might exit the ACA market in North Carolina in 2017.

With Aetna Inc. and UnitedHealth Group Inc. the state in 2017, Blue Crossand Blue Shield of North Carolina will be the sole provider of ACA plans in thestate.

The company said Aetna's decision to stopselling ACA plans in the state created an unexpected addition of260,000 customers. It also noted that the state's insurance regulator hasaccepted its revised rates for 2017.