Medica will not offer individual health plans through North Dakota's Affordable Care Act's health exchange in 2018, state Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread said in a news release.

"We have had numerous conversations with Medica over the course of the past few months, and given the uncertainty that currently exists around cost sharing reductions, they are unable to move forward in the Federal Exchange," Godfread said.

The insurer initially decided to file rates inclusive of the Affordable Care Act's cost-sharing reduction payments, but later requested the state's insurance department to approve premium rates for 2018 assuming the payments would not be made. The department rejected Medica's request to approve any rates requested under that assumption.