Comment: Obamacare, the gift that keeps on taking.
“Dozens of health insurers say higher-than-expected care costs and other expenses blindsided them this year, and they’re going to have to hike premiums for individual policies well-beyond 10 percent for 2016.”
“The proposed double-digit hikes would apply to plans sold on the health insurance exchanges created under President Barack Obama’s law, as well as individual coverage sold through brokers and agents.”
“Insurers point to costs from customers they gained under the health care overhaul’s coverage expansion and the rising expense of prescription drugs among other reasons for their planned increases, according to preliminary rate information released Monday on the federal government’s HealthCare.gov website.”
“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is seeking a roughly 26 percent premium increase, while plans in Illinois and Florida, among other states, are asking for hikes of 20 percent or more.”
Many health insurers go big with initial 2016 rate requests
By TOM MURPHY, June 1, 2015