New Hampshire: Preliminary avg. unsubsidized 2025 #ACA rate changes: 4.8%; WellSense joining market

The good news about New Hampshire's health insurance market is that they're the only state without its own ACA exchange which produces publicly-accessible monthly reports on individual on-exchange market enrollment. The bad news is that they don't seem to publish the actual rate filings in an easy-to-read format, which means I'm left with the federal rate review website, which sometimes posts average rate requests which don't match up with the actual filings...but it's gonna have to do here. 

With these two data sources in hand, New Hampshire's individual market carriers are asking for a weighted average increase of 4.8%. It's important to note that Anthem Health Plans and Matthew Thornton Health Plan are listed as separate carriers on the federal Rate Review website (with separate average rate requests), but on the state's monthly report, they're merged into a single listing.

With no way of knowing what the actual enrollment breakout is between these two, I'm assuming a 50/50 split.

As for the NH small group market, the unweighted average rate change being asked for there is a 9.4% increase.

The other noteworthy item in New Hampshire is that a new carrier is scheduled to enter their individual market this fall: WellSense Health Plan:

CONCORD, NH (August 14, 2024) – The New Hampshire Insurance Department (NHID) is excited to announce the continued success and growth of New Hampshire's individual health insurance market, marked by the arrival of WellSense Health Plan as a new participant. This addition is a strong indicator of the market's vitality and the successful reforms that have strengthened the state’s insurance landscape.

The New Hampshire Insurance Dept. also claims to "Lead the nation in health insurance affordability" this year (via email):

ONCORD, NH (August 23, 2024) – As the nation prepares for the 2025 health insurance open enrollment period, the New Hampshire Insurance Department (NHID) announces that New Hampshire has been recognized for offering the lowest average monthly health insurance premiums in the country. This achievement underscores the state’s commitment to providing accessible, high-quality health care to its residents.

According to the recent report by WalletHub, New Hampshire also ranked fifth overall among states with the best health care systems. The report, which compared 44 measures of cost, accessibility and outcomes, highlights the importance of balancing cost with quality, noting that affordable health care should not come at the expense of effectiveness. With health care costs continuing to rise nationwide, New Hampshire stands out for making health insurance accessible without compromising the quality of care that patients receive. This report is consistent with the data reported at the NHID’s annual rate hearing in 2023.

“New Hampshire’s top ranking in affordability is a testament to our collaborative efforts with health care providers, insurers, and policymakers,” said DJ Bettencourt, Commissioner of the New Hampshire Insurance Department. “As we approach the open enrollment period, we encourage Granite Staters to take advantage of the affordable options available to them and ensure they have the coverage they need.”

Open Enrollment for the 2025 plan year will run from November 1, 2024, to January 15, 2025. This period is a critical time for individuals and families to review their health insurance options. The NHID continues to work diligently to ensure that every Granite Stater has access to the information and resources needed to make informed decisions about their health coverage.

“As open enrollment approaches, we remain committed to providing residents with a range of affordable, high-quality insurance options that fit their needs,” said Keith Nyhan, Deputy Insurance Commissioner.

For more information on health insurance options and to stay informed ahead of open enrollment, visit the NHID website. To read the full report by WalletHub, visit here.

I'll have to withhold judgment until I've caught up on the remaining states, but at $475/month on average in 2025 this doesn't sound unreasonable to me.