2016 Rate Requests: Where Things Stand So Far (Spoiler: All over the map)
WIth Media Matters weighing in on the 2016 Rate Hike issue, I figured this might be a good time to do a state-by-state roundup of where things stand at the moment:
- Colorado: Weighted avg. rate increase of companies representing about 90% of exchange enrollment: 13.1%
- Connecticut: Overall average rate increase (weighted, not approved): 5.2%
- Kentucky: (approved) changes ranging from 11% decrease to 25% increase
- Maryland: Overall average rate increase (semi-weighted, not approved): 22.5%
- Michigan: Overall average rate increase (weighted, not approved): 9.8%
- Oregon: (approved) Overall average rate increase: (weighted): 24.2%
- Rhode Island: Overall average rate increase (weighted, not approved): 7.9%
- Vermont: Overall average rate increase (weighted, not approved): 7.8%
- Washington State: Overall average rate increase (semi-weighted, not approved): 5.4%
- UPDATE: Pennsylvania: (unapproved) changes ranging from 1% decrease to 58% increase
As you can see, it's pretty much all over the place so far, with weighted average increases ranging from as low as 5.2% requested (Connecticut) to as high as 24.2% approved (Oregon).
Of course, Kentucky hasn't even been weighted yet, and even with KY I've only collected 9 states so far (representing around 10% of the total ACA exchange enrollees nationally), so the true picture could indeed end up being ugly, but again, everyone should chill out a bit until the dust settles and we see what the bigger picture ends up looking like.