Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
California's Uninsured Rate Well Below National Average, And Experts Wonder If It Can Even Drop Any More
Sacramento Bee: California: How Low Can The Uninsured Health Rate Go?
After a streak of steady declines, California’s uninsured rate bottomed out last year with some 2.7 million people still without health coverage. The latest estimates from the U.S. Census offer a fragmented portrait of the remaining people who are uninsured while posing an even bigger question for the state: How much lower can the uninsured rate go? (Finch, 10/17)
Richmond Times-Dispatch: Obamacare Plans Will Cost 9 Percent More In Virginia In 2019, Slightly Less Than Early Projections
Virginians who buy their health insurance on the individual market will see an average rate increase of about 9 percent in 2019, slightly less than the 13 percent increase that was anticipated earlier this year, according to the State Bureau of Insurance. The average monthly premium is anticipated to be $796.29, less than the $830.18 from the insurance providers’ initial proposed rates, but up from an average rate of $732.45 in 2018. (Balch, 10/16)
