HHS study: 10% ACA premium hike could hit Ohio hard

Ohioans buying insurance through the marketplace for President Barack Obama's health care law could be among the hardest hit in the country if insurance premiums were to rise by 10 percent in 2017, according to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report released this week (Source: “Obamacare premium increases may hurt Ohioans more,” Chillicothe Gazette, Aug. 24, 2016).

The ASPE report stated that if premiums were to increase by 10 percent, 56 percent of Ohioans would still be able to purchase insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace for $75 a month or less, if tax credits are considered. Average marketplace premiums in Ohio are expected to increase by 12.6 percent in 2017 compared to 2016, the Ohio Department of Insurance found in data released earlier this week.

Nationally, if premiums for the health care law rise 10 percent, 71 percent of participants would be able to buy insurance for $75 per month or less, with tax credits. The study looked at 38 states that use the HealthCare.gov platform to offer health insurance through the program, also known as Obamacare. Of the states studied, 31 would fare better than Ohio, the study stated.