Health Insurers Seek Big Premium Increases in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s insurance regulators are starting a review of health plans for coverage next year through the federal marketplaces, including several that seek premium increases in excess of 40 percent.

The Pennsylvania Department of Insurance said the proposed premium increase for 18 individual plans filed last week average 23.6 percent.

Premiums in six plans for this year rose by more than 20 percent, while premiums in six plans rose by less than 2 percent or dropped. The department says final 2017 rates will be approved in October.

Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller acknowledged that the proposed rate increases are a concern, and says several factors driving up rate proposals may be short-lived.

The department says 509,000 Pennsylvanians are covered through individual health plans and 375,000 are covered through small group plans under the 2010 law.