The marketplaces, or exchanges, are a key part of the federal law because they allow lower-income people to qualify for tax credits to offset part of the cost of health insurance — with the aim of making it affordable to more people.

Another 6,000 people are covered by individual Blue Cross policies purchased outside of the exchange. Blue Cross also will reduce the individual insurance options that it sells outside the public marketplace, dropping its higher-benefit “silver” and “gold” policies but leaving a low-benefit “bronze” policy and a policy that covers only catastrophic health claims.

Several other companies also offer individual policies outside the exchange that do not qualify for tax credits.

The silver and gold policies have been losing money, too, said Martin and Lew Trowbridge, Blue Cross’ president.

“We had to think long and hard about the effect on our company,” Trowbridge said. “I mean, enough’s enough, and $140 million is a lot of money to us. We don’t see it ending, so we have to take corrective action now, as much as it pains us.”

Martin said he is hearing more discussion on the federal level about making changes in the law.