2027 Rate Changes

Before I begin, it's important to note that ACA exchange enrollment has dropped in California since Congressional Republicans allowed the enhanced federal subsidies to expire at the end of last year...although thanks to the state providing its own supplemental financial subsidies to partially cancel out the lost federal subsidies, it's not nearly as dramatic a drop-off as in most other states.

Effectuated enrollment was down 9.5% year over year as of March, and has almost certainly continued to drop further since then based on the trend line (see below). That's at least 187,000 fewer Californians enrolled in ACA healthcare coverage this year.

Before I begin, it's important to note that as in most states, ACA exchange enrollment has plummeted in Michigan since Congressional Republicans allowed the enhanced federal subsidies to expire at the end of last year: Effectuated enrollment was down 27% year over year as of February, and has almost certainly continued to drop further since then. That's at least 131,000 fewer Michiganders enrolled in ACA healthcare coverage this year.

Here's what this looks like visually, with both 2025 and 2019 (the last pre-COVID year, which didn't include the enhanced subsidies) included for comparison:

Via the Iowa Insurance Dept:

ACA Individual Market — 2027 filings subject to rate hearings:

  • Avera Health Plans — 14.82% average increase on 438 lives; range of 12.30% to 21.70%
  • Iowa Total Care, Inc. — 16.84% average increase on 6,982 lives; range of 9.39% to 21.75%
  • Oscar Insurance Company — 11.94% average increase on 11,971 lives; range of 4.63% to 28.17%
  • UnitedHealthcare Plan of the River Valley — 11.77% average increase on 546 lives; range of 9.66% to 12.53%
  • Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa — 4.98% average increase on approximately 80,000 lives; range of -2.27% to 10.73%; on-Exchange

As for Medica, which has around 4,000 Iowa enrollees this year...

Medica will no longer offer individual marketplace plans in Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma, effective January 1, 2027. 

Hoo boy. Via the Georgia Insurance Dept., I've acquired the preliminary 2027 individual market rate filings for Georgia insurers, and it's not pretty.

Unfortunately, all of the actuarial memos are pretty heavily redacted so I don't have a lot of useful details to post, but the bottom line is:

via the Maryland Insurance Administration:

Health Carriers Propose Affordable Care Act Premium Rates for 2027

Proactive policies of the Moore Administration and General Assembly ensure that Maryland's individual premium rates remain among the lowest in the nation, in spite of federal pressures due to changing Exchange rules and continued lack of expansion of enhanced tax credits​

BALTIMORE – The Maryland Insurance Administration has received the 2027 proposed premium rates for Affordable Care Act products offered by health and dental carriers in the individual, non-Medigap and small group markets, which impact approximately 482,000 Marylanders and represents 19% of the commercial health insurance market.

In the individual, non-Medigap market, carriers are requesting an overall average rate change of 13.7%, with the average request by carrier ranging from 12% to 14.6%.

via the Rhode Island Insurance Commissioner:

2027 Requested Commercial Health Insurance Rates Have Been Submitted to OHIC for Review

The Office of Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC) today released the individual, small group, and large group market premium rates requested by Rhode Island’s insurers. The requests were filed as part of OHIC’s rate review process (for coverage effective on or after January 1, 2027).

“Health insurers are once again seeking rate increases to cover the rising cost of health care and other expenses,” said Health Insurance Commissioner Cory King. He continued: “OHIC will thoroughly review these requests to determine whether they are justified.”

Two insurers, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) and Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island (NHPRI), filed rates for plans to be sold on the individual market to people and families who do not receive insurance through their employer.

The first thing that's important to understand about the Indiana insurance market is that there are two carriers leaving the individual (ACA) market, and one possibly (?) leaving the small group market next year.

I had previously written about Cigna Health & Life Insurance pulling completely out of the ACA market across all states in 2027. In Indiana, Cigna only had around 8,600 ACA enrollees last year; this year, according to this article, it's down to fewer than 7,000.

CareSource is also pulling out of Indiana along with at least some other states as well. Again, according to this story, they have nearly 60,000 currently effectuated Hoosiers enrolled in their individual market policies.

via the Minnesota Commerce Dept:

Individual Market Proposed Average Rate Changes for Plan Year 2027 

The summary table below provides an overview of the proposed average rate changes from 2026 in the individual health insurance market, as reported by the insurers.  

It is important to note these are the initial rates proposed by the insurers and filed with the Departments. Rates are subject to review and approval by the Departments, and the final approved rates may vary from these proposed rates for many reasons.  

Additionally, the actual rate change a consumer will experience in 2027 can vary from the average – with factors such as specific plan, geographic rating area, and age playing a major role. 

...Aspirus Health Plan will be new to the exchange for Plan Year 2027. While UCare individual plans were supported throughout Plan Year 2026 to ensure a smooth transition for Minnesotans after the company was acquired by Medica, UCare plans will no longer be available in Plan Year 2027.

via the New York Dept. of Financial Services:

Health insurers must make an application to the Department of Financial Services to evaluate their proposed rate changes. The Department reviews the rate applications along with the insurer’s underlying calculations to make sure that rate increases are justified and not excessive. During review, DFS may request more information from the insurer and consider comments from policyholders or the public. Rate applications and all documents relating to an application can be found here:

Individual and Small Group Medical Premium Rates

Beginning with rate application filings submitted in 2023 for benefit year 2024, rate information will be contained in one place for all insurers, separated by Market Segment.

AETNA LIFE:

via the Illinois Dept. of Insurance:

Affordable Care Act (ACA) - Illinois Rate Filings

The chart below contains proposed rates for Plan Year 2027, which will be reviewed for compliance with federal and state requirements. Please submit any comments to DOI.HealthRateReview@illinois.gov by Friday, July 10, 2026.

2026 Illinois On- and Off-Exchange Plan Analyses can be found here.

The Health Rate Review Consumer Guide can be found here.

How are rates developed?

Each year, health insurance companies determine future premiums based on a number of past factors.

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