As the first states release their 2015 insurance rate proposals, several outlets carry reports of whether premiums are rising or falling across the country. In an overview piece, CNBC (5/13, Mangan) looks at the initial proposals from Washington state and Virginia, noting that “trends from those two states, while not a guarantee of what will happen elsewhere, suggest that fears of double-digit average increases for Obamacare plans nationally may be overblown.”
Vox (5/13, Lopez) echoes this point, noting that while the “early data shows health insurance premiums will generally go up in 2015,” most of the increases “won’t be the double-digit increases some Obamacare opponents previously predicted.” The Wall Street Journal (5/13, Altman) “Washington Wire” blog also carries a short overview piece.
In state specific accounts, under the headline “A Few Health Insurers To Cut Rates In 2015,” the Wall Street Journal (5/13, Radnofsky, Subscription Publication) reports that Molina Healthcare has proposed a decrease of 6.8% on average for customers in Washington state. However, the Seattle Times (5/13, Ostrom) points out that other major insurers in the state have proposed rate increases, including Time Insurance, which called for a hike of 26%.
In Virginia, the Daily Caller (5/13, Hurtubise) reports, consumers “will see upped health insurance premiums in 2015 ranging from 3.3 percent to 14.7 percent.” The Hill (5/13, Viebeck) reports, though, that these increases do not stem solely from the ACA.
The National Journal (5/13, Baker, Subscription Publication) offers a list of states “at risk for large premium hikes,” which includes West Virginia, Ohio, and Arizona. Finally, Fox Business (5/13, Rogers) examines how the employer mandate, which kicks in next year, will affect premium rates.
