Obamacare’s third annual enrollment period for health insurance has officially started earlier this week, and North Carolinians are being burdened with some of the highest premium percentage increases in the U.S. The breakdown of average rate increases is as follows:
- Blue Cross Blue Shield: 32.5%
- United Healthcare: 20.4%
- Coventry: 23.6%
Note that Humana was going to offer plans in a few counties, but the state’s volatile health insurance market caused them to back out. I completely understand.
On the national front, it was originally reported by the feds that premiums would rise on average by 7.5 percent. However, this figure only accounted for silver-tiered plans and did not factor the cost differences between last year and this year for the remaining metallic plans offered on the non-group market (bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. Bronze plans feature higher deductibles and lower monthly premiums while platinum plans include higher premiums with lower deductibles).
So, factoring in all metallic plans, the Daily Caller reports that the overall nationwide average increase is around 20 percent. This new information can certainly change one’s perspective on the law’s affordability factor.
