Arizona: APPROVED 2019 #ACA rate changes: 6.3% drop, but likely would've dropped nearly *20%* w/out #ACASabotage

The Arizona insurance department posted their final, approved 2019 premium rate changes last week. There's only slight changes to the preliminary/requested rate changes from back in August, which averaged around a 5.3% rate reduction overall.

The final unsubsidized rates are down about one point more, down 6.3% from 2018 rates. However, as all three current carriers clearly noted in August, the repeal of the ACA's individual mandate and expansion of short-term and association health plans (aka #ShortAssPlans) still caused a significant premium increase, which means without those factors, 2019 rates would likely be down significantly more...likely nearly 20% instead of 6.3%:

Assuming that 13.7-point #ACASabotage factor is accurate (the Urban Institute pegged it at over 20 points, I'm assuming 2/3 of that), that means the average unsubsidized ACA enrollee will be paying more than $1,000 more next year than they'd otherwise have to, due specifically to Trump/GOP efforts.

They also posted the small group market rate changes, although that's never been nearly as controversial as the individual market:

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