Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield announced this morning that it will participate in the public health insurance exchange beginning with the fall 2016 open enrollment period for coverage starting Jan. 1, 2017. “First and foremost, the most important part of this decision was our members,” Wellmark Chairman and CEO John Forsyth said in a release. “We have heard their desire to have Wellmark products on the public exchange where they can access subsidies that are critical to help reduce the cost of health insurance premiums for themselves and their families.” The Des Moines-based health insurer had delayed participation in the exchange in 2014, saying it was not confident the move would be in its members’ best interest, and again in 2015, saying it was waiting on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the King v. Burwell case on the legality of the health care law’s federal subsidies. Wellmark did not make any announcement earlier this year regarding its plans for the 2016 plan year enrollment.  Known also as the federal marketplace, the online exchange is the only online store where individuals can receive a federal subsidy toward the purchase of an individual health insurance policy.