Jan. 10 (Bloomberg) — Humana Inc. said it expects new Obamacare customers to be sicker and costlier than anticipated, after the U.S. government's decision to let healthier people keep their existing plans.

Enrollees through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's insurance exchanges will be "more adverse than previously expected," Humana said in a regulatory filing yesterday. While affirming its 2014 profit forecast, the Louisville, Kentucky-based health insurer said it was evaluating expectations for the new year.

Facing a wave of policy cancellations triggered by the higher standards of the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama said in November he would let people keep their existing health plans for an extra year. Analysts and insurers said the move might upset the financial stability of the exchanges by allowing younger, healthier customers to opt out of Obamacare.

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