MJT – “Affordable Care Act” insurance rates are rising

MISSISSIPPIANS’ “AFFORDABLE CARE ACT” INSURANCE RATES GOING UP

MS Truth Journal requested and obtained the rate increases for each of the Ambetter health insurance plans. The most commonly selected plans, the “Silver” plans, will experience rate increases from 17% to 21%. The “Gold” insurance plans will increase by 19%, while the least expensive “Bronze” plans will increase by 26%.

According to CMS, most Mississippians who selected these plans have income ranging from 100% to 150% of the most recent federal poverty rate ($12,060 for an individual to $24,600 for a family of four). The 2018 rate increases come at a time that Congress, especially the United States Senate, has struggled to garner the votes to repeal, replace, or even moderately amend the Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as Obamacare.

For 2018, several states including Mississippi experienced the pullout by insurance providers from the ACA individual marketplace. In Mississippi, for 2018 only Magnolia Health Plan a/k/a Ambetter will remain as the single provider of ACA individual health insurance coverage.

MJT
10/5/17