Health insurance premiums up 39% to 56%

under Obamacare, reach $2,604 a month in

California
By Paul Bedard | MARCH 17, 2014 AT 12:49 PM
TOPICS: WASHINGTON SECRETS OBAMACARE HEALTH CARE HEALTHCARE.GOV
OBAMACARE NAVIGATORS HEALTH CARE EXCHANGES INSURANCE INDUSTRY

(Thinkstock Image)
Americans buying health insurance outside the new Obamacare exchanges are being forced to
swallow premiums up to 56 percent higher than before the health law took effect because
insurers have jumped the cost to cover all the added features of the new Affordable Care Act.
According to a cost report from eHealthInsurance, a nationwide online private insurance
exchange, families are paying an average of $663 a month and singles $274 a month, far more
than before Obamacare kicked in. What's more, to save money, most buyers are choosing the
lowest level of coverage, the so-called "bronze" plans.
The firm provided the costs to Secrets through their new online price index, which gives the
averages of what people are paying for insurance sold through their system. In California, for
example, some families are paying a high of $2,604 a month and in New York, $1,845.
The shocking surge in prices show what Americans not in Obamacare or covered by their
employer are paying as they seek lower premiums. Typically, they are not eligible for the
subsidies Obamacare offers those with low incomes.
"Premiums are increasing primarily because of the new required provisions for 2014 Affordable
Care Act compliant plans, including guaranteed issue, essential health benefits, modified
community rating and minimum actuarial values," said Brian Mast, spokesman for
eHealthInsurance. "It is also likely that health insurance companies expected additional risk in
the risk pool, because people with pre-existing conditions could no longer be denied coverage,
and may have priced their plans higher to accommodate for this risk," said Mast.
His firm's price index also gives an average age for singles buying plans, and the results are
worrying for insurers and the Obama administration. That's because the average age is 36, older
than the administration had hoped for.
Explaining the higher costs, Mast said, "There are likely other factors, but what is important is
that moving forward, there needs to be a collective effort to enroll as many people as possible
and create a broad and diverse risk pool to keep premiums in check. eHealth can help in that

effort by enrolling consumers off-exchange and is pushing to be able to enroll people in subsidyeligible plans as well."
There is a hint of good news, though, in firm's the price index. While the current costs for
insurance are higher than before Obamacare, they have come down over the past several months.
Below is a cost summary provided by eHealthInsurance:
Premiums have increased by 39 percent to 56 percent, compared to pre-Obamacare coverage.
As of Feb. 24, the average premium for an individual health plan selected through eHealth
without a subsidy was $274 per month, a 39 percent increase over the average individual
premium for pre-Obamacare coverage.
The most recent average premium for plans without a subsidy chosen by families was $663
per month, a 56 percent increase over the average family premium in Feb. 2013, which was $426
per month.
For both individual and family applicants, bronze plans have been the most popular plan type
chosen since the beginning of open enrollment.
Shoppers chose less expensive plans as open enrollment progressed.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at
pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com.

For a 62-year-old uninsured male

ndividual and Family health plans

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