Trump & Republican Health Care Sabotage Increases Premiums Again Across The Country
June 1, 2018
Trump and Republicans’ health care sabotage has already led to millions more uninsured Americans, and now their policies are causing premiums to skyrocket in markets across the country. Here’s the latest states where the cost of health insurance has spiked because of Republican sabotage:
RHODE ISLAND: This week, Rhode Island insurers requested double-digit premium hikes.
WPRI: “Rhode Island's commercial health insurers are hoping to increase rates by double-digits next year in some cases, according to the R.I. Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner.”
VERMONT: Vermont insurers have requested annual rate increases of up to 10.9 percent.
Vermont Business: “Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont (BCBSVT) is requesting an average annual rate increase of 7.5% over 2018 rates, while MVP Health Care (MVP) is requesting a 10.9% average annual rate increase.”
OREGON: Oregon insurers requested average premium rate hikes of up to 14.3 percent.
Portland Tribune: “Oregonians who buy their own health coverage will see significant premium hikes, as carriers react to Trump administration changes and rising health care costs. Federal subsidies hold down premiums for about half of Oregonians. But for others, the state's three largest carriers, Providence, Kaiser and Moda, have proposed average rate hikes ranging from 6.4 percent to 14.3 percent in the individual market.”
VIRGINIA: Virginia insurers are requesting significant premium hikes, by as much as 64 percent.
The Hill: “Two of Virginia’s ObamaCare insurers are requesting significant premium hikes for 2019, according to initial filings released Friday. Both Cigna and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield cited policies advocated by the Trump administration, including the repeal of ObamaCare's individual mandate, as part of its justifications for the increases. Cigna is proposing an average premium increase of 15 percent for its 103,264 customers in Virginia, with a range of increases from 6.4 percent to 40 percent. CareFirst is proposing a 64 percent increase for its approximately 4,500 customers in the commonwealth, citing an increase in sicker people entering the marketplace.”
MARYLAND: Maryland health insurers have requested massive premium increases, by an average rate of 30 percent.
Washington Post Wonkblog: “CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield requested an 18.5 percent increase on the HMO plans used by the vast majority of its individual plan members — and a whopping, 91.4 percent increase on its PPO plans. Kaiser Permanente requested a 37.4 percent increase on its HMO plans. The average rate increase requested, across insurers and plans, was 30 percent.”
Health care premiums are expected to continue to surge in markets across the country, by as much as 94 percent over the next 3 years, because of Trump’s health care sabotage.
Washington Post: “Insurance premiums for Affordable Care Act health plans are likely to jump by 35 to 94 percent around the country within the next three years, according to a new report concluding that recent federal decisions will have a profound effect on prices.”