Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Covered California Premiums To Rise 8.7 Percent, A More Modest Increase Than Double-Digits Expected Elsewhere
Sacramento Bee: Covered California Premiums Will Rise Average Of 8.7 Percent
Covered California announced Thursday that it expects to increase its health insurance premiums by a statewide average of 8.7 percent in 2019, double what it would have been if Congress had not dropped a tax penalty that encouraged U.S. citizens to maintain health insurance. A state-run health-insurance marketplace, Covered California strives to offer consumers high-quality health insurance at the most affordable prices. (Anderson, 7/19)
San Francisco Chronicle: California Health Insurance Premiums To Rise An Average Of Nearly 9% In 2019
It is the fifth straight year that premiums are rising for such health plans. The increase applies to the 1.1 million lower-income Californians who receive federal financial assistance to buy plans on Covered California, as well as the 1.2 million residents who buy plans without subsidies. (Ho, 7/19)
California Healthline: California’s ACA Rates To Rise 8.7% Next Year
The average increase in California is smaller than the double-digit hikes expected around the nation, due largely to a healthier mix of enrollees and more competition in its marketplace. Still, health insurance prices keep growing faster than wages and general inflation as a result of rising medical costs overall, squeezing many middle-class families who are struggling to pay their household bills.(Terhune and Bartolone, 7/19)
And in other news —
The Star Tribune: UnitedHealthcare Adding One State Health Exchange
Minnetonka-based UnitedHealthcare must sell coverage next year on the health exchange for Massachusetts because it now covers more than 5,000 people in the state via small-employer health plans. The individual and small-group markets are merged in Massachusetts, where state law requires insurers of a certain size to sell on the exchange. (Snowbeck, 7/19)
