Key Point: A top insurance official warned of coming ACA premium hikes and cites the repeal of the individual mandate in the tax bill leading to fewer healthy people signing up, as well as efforts from the Trump administration to expand access to cheaper, skimpier plans that could cause an increase in premiums.

The Hill: Top insurance official warns of coming ObamaCare premium hikes

By Peter Sullivan

April 9, 2018

A top executive at the trade group representing health insurers on Monday warned of premium increases for ObamaCare plans next year, saying the situation is “not a pretty picture right now.”

Matt Eyles, senior executive vice president of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), said that insurers “want to make sure people have access to coverage at the most affordable price but that also has to reflect what the reality is right now and it’s not a pretty picture right now.”

Eyles, who is also the incoming CEO of AHIP starting June 1, blamed several policies advanced by Republicans in Congress or the administration for the problems.

Speaking at an event hosted by The Atlantic, he noted the repeal of the individual mandate in the tax bill in December, which is expected to lead to less healthy people signing up, as well as initiatives from the Trump administration to expand access to cheaper, skimpier plans known as short-term plans, which have also raised fears of siphoning away healthy people and causing an increase in premiums.

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