Highmark Inc.’s unfavorable earning trends, forecasted to show little improvement in the coming year or two, led a rating service to revise the health insurer’s credit rating to “negative.”
See more: earnings, Highmark, IBC, James Sung, merger, Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield, ratings, Standard & Poor's
As a direct result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) – also known as ObamaCare – health insurance agent and broker commissions have been slashed by as much as 50%. Agencies have been forced to lay off employees, limit products and services, shift to other lines, and have seen significant drops in compensation.

