Bronze Rate Shock: What Obamacare Premiums Will Cost People Next Year is Pretty Far From Free

[Tkruger]

With the open enrollment period just weeks away, consumers are wondering what their healthcare premiums will look like next year. The federal government hasn’t released premiums, and won’t until after the elections.


Bronze Rate Shock: What Obamacare Premiums Will Cost People Next Year is Pretty Far From Free

Something I find kinda interesting is that our agency is only participating in VA out of the list...one of the states with some sort of reduction.

 

[kgmom219]

I think your agency is primarily in the South, correct? Notice the blue/purple colors of these states?

 

[Tkruger]

I think your agency is primarily in the South, correct? Notice the blue/purple colors of these states?

Not necessarily. I guess it's where you draw the line as to what your interpretation of the south is. We do business in AZ, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX and VA.

Although I do see what your saying.

 

[RayNY]

This chart is useless... Do note, these are "inclusive of subsidies", not "actual premium dollars".

Those states with the big decreases on bronze? It could very well be because the reference silver is now more expensive, resulting in a bigger subsidy on cheaper products, even if the actual premium is higher. This has no tie to actual changes, only proportion of reference silver vs. cheapest bronze.

As you know, [Tax Subsidy]=[(Reference Plan Premium)-(Allowable Premium for FPL Level)]

A single at 400% FPL is $365. If bronze was $300, and reference silver was $400, both plans would be discounted $35, so $265 for bronze.

If bronze was $330, and reference silver is now $440 (10% increases), both plans are discounted $75, making bronze $255, $10/3% cheaper than the year before.