This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

As the first new Utah health plan in nearly 20 years, Arches provided new competition and a new model for health care — Utah-centric, member-governed and truly non-profit. In just two short years, we provided much needed change and innovation in the Utah health insurance market, and we've had some great successes:

• We insured 63,000 Utahns, many of whom had never had health insurance before.

• We were one of the highest performing co-ops in the country.

• We had received ongoing positive feedback from federal officials.

• We recently received accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, receiving a score of 49.8 out of 50 for the quality of our insurance plan.

But because of a significant shortfall in the federal government's program intended to protect all health insurance companies from losses, we were informed last week by the Utah State Insurance Department that Arches would not be allowed on the healthcare.gov insurance exchange for 2016, thereby requiring Arches to wind down operations. Without the federal reimbursements which we earned and were promised, our position for 2016 greatly concerned the insurance department. We don't fault the Utah Insurance Department for that decision; rather, the outcome is the result of a tough political climate in Washington that prevented the payment of millions in reimbursements that Arches had earned.

So we are now in the unfortunate position of informing our 35,000 individual members that they will need to find a substitute plan on the exchange. Here are some things that are important to know:

• Arches is not closing its doors today. Those insured by Arches remain insured by Arches until Dec. 31. Claims will be paid. Members should continue to pay their premiums and see their doctors as planned.

• Open enrollment begins Nov. 1. Between Nov. 1 and the end of the year, members can shop for a new health care plan. Individuals should talk to their broker or visit the federal exchange at http://www.healthcare.gov to find a new plan.

• The protections provided by the Affordable Care Act do not go away. There are four companies in Utah that still offer individual health plans on the Wasatch Front. Unfortunately, in the rural areas, it is going to be a challenge because only one company will be offered.

• Arches did not enter bankruptcy or run out of cash. The insurance industry is highly regulated and protects against this kind of occurrence. The Utah Insurance Department took us off the exchange because they had concerns with unknown risks in 2016 to our current balance sheet.

Our primary goal right now is to ensure that our members make this transition quickly and easily. We have a hardworking and loyal staff that will be there to help members through this. There are still some unanswered questions about the details of our "wind down," but we are working with the Utah Insurance Department to make this transition as efficient as possible and will keep members apprised via emails and our website.

Although there have been challenges in the new individual insurance market created by the Affordable Care Act, it's important to know that there have been some great accomplishments in Utah. More than 35,000 individuals in Utah received health insurance from Arches, many for the first time. These individuals will continue to receive insurance through other plans if they choose. Arches also provided health insurance to 28,000 individuals through employer-sponsored plans — bringing a new level of personal service and cost transparency to the group market. We introduced innovative new health care programs to achieve better health outcomes while reducing costs. And finally, we brought new competition to the market — resulting in more competitive plans for lower-income health care shoppers.

As chief executive officer of Arches Health, I am honored to have been part of a new kind of health plan for Utahns, and I believe we have done an admirable job of providing it. Change and disruption is needed in the health care industry, and it is coming, albeit slowly and with many bumps in the road. On behalf of everyone at Arches, I thank our many partners and members who recognized that health care could be better.

Shaun Greene is the founder and CEO of Arches Health.