The sticker price for 2016 Obamacare plan premiums may not be that shocking in some states, according to a new analysis.
The research firm Avalere looked at proposed rate filings in seven states and the District of Columbia and found that most plans are proposing only modest increases to premiums. For instance, average premiums for silver plans, the second cheapest option, will increase nearly 6 percent, according to an analysis released Thursday.
More than two-thirds of 2015 exchange enrollees chose a silver plan, Avalere noted.
The analysis comes a few weeks after insurers disclosed high estimated 2016 rates for Obamacare customers. The healthcare law requires insurers to disclose if they are considering a rate hike of 10 percent or more.
Republicans pounced on the spikes to premiums, in some cases more than 70 percent, as evidence that the law makes health insurance more expensive.
Avalere found that overall the increases are pretty modest.
“While recent public attention has focused on a subset of plans that filed for premium increases of 10 percent or more, these data reveal that most plans are proposing more modest increases,” said Caroline Pearson, senior vice president at Avalere.
Final premiums for certain plans also could be lower than proposed.
Avalere found that average premium increases for the low-cost silver plan options are likely to be smaller than the silver plan as a whole.
Premiums for the lowest- and second lowest-cost silver plans in the seven states and D.C. will increase on average 4.5 percent and 1 percent respectively, Avalere said.
However, accessing the low-cost plans may require enrollees to change their insurance carriers in some regions.
“Low-cost plan options in 2016 may not be from the same insurers who offered these plans in 2015,” said Elizabeth Carpenter, a director at Avalere. “In these markets, consumers will need to balance continuity of care with lower monthly premiums when comparing their health insurance options.”
Avalere looked at 2015 premiums and proposed 2016 rates in Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Michigan, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
