Health insurers face an uncertain future

WellPoint Inc., the parent of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Missouri, took a huge gamble when it dove headfirst into many of the new health insurance marketplaces around the country. Aetna Inc. hedged its bets by entering a patchwork of federal- and state-run health exchanges, but skipped California and New York, two of the most populous markets. UnitedHealth Group Inc., the nation's largest health insurer, decided to participate in only a dozen or fewer exchanges in 2013. Given the current disarray on the federal-operated website, its strategy may prove wise — or overly cautious.