UnitedHealth, aswell as other major insurers, withdrew completely from exchanges inmany states and limited plan offerings in remainingmarkets. (Photo: Shutterstock)

A good omen for the ACA public exchanges: health insurancebehemoth UnitedHealthcare is making plans to re-enter the marketsin 2021, following a four-year hiatus.

"As the exchanges have matured and stabilized, we intend tooffer exchange plans in those states where we can provide anefficient network and competitive product capable of drivingsustainable value for consumers and our state and federalpartners," a UnitedHealthcare spokesman wrote in an email toModern Healthcare.

Related: More insurers returning to ACAmarketplaces

UnitedHealth, as well as other major insurers, withdrewcompletely from exchanges in many states and limited plan offeringsin remaining markets. The move followed significant financiallosses related to ACA plans and the overall instability of themarkets. In the years following, the markets have continued tostabilize, and the collapse many feared never came tofruition.

As reported by Modern Healthcare, UnitedHealth has applied tosell plans in Maryland in 2021 and is hinting at further expansion.With unemployment rates continuing to climb, many consumers whohave lost their employer-sponsored health insurance will be turningto the ACA exchanges, creating a financial opportunity forparticipating insurers.

"We also believe that an exchange product can serve as animportant part of a broad portfolio of public and private optionscapable of providing universal coverage to all Americans," aspokesman wrote to Modern Healthcare.

Read more: 

• States reopen ACA exchanges for COVID-19 enrollmentperiod
• CMS official numbers: Obamacare signups down,premiums (and subsidies) up
• When it comes to health care costs, number ofmarketplace competitors matters less than type