#Tag · Open Science

UPDATE: #CALIFORNIA Insurance Dept. publishes *final* avg. gross 2026 #ACA rate filings: +10.1%, down slightly from 10.2% preliminary:

https://acasignups.net/rate_changes/2026/ca

ACA Signups

2026 Final Gross Rate Changes - California: +10.1% (updated)

Originally posted 8/12/25 Overall preliminary rate changes via the SERFF database, California Insurance Dept. and/or the federal Rate Review database. Aetna/CVS (Aetna/CVS is pulling out of the entire individual market nationally) Anthem Blue Cross of CA (DMHC) This is a rate filing for the Individual market ACA‐compliant plans offered by Anthem Blue Cross (Anthem). The proposed rates in this filing will be effective for the 2026 plan year beginning January 1, 2026, and apply to plans both On‐Exchange and Off‐Exchange. Anthem will continue to participate in its 2025 marketplace footprint consisting of rating areas 1-10 and 12-14 with EPO plans and rating areas 11 and 15‐19 with HMO plans. The proposed rates have been developed from 2024 ACA experience. The proposed average rate change is 14.7%. The proposed annual rate changes by product in this filing range from 14.6% to 17.8%, with rate changes by plan from 11.9% to 17.8%. The rate changes will impact 247,197 current members as of May 1, 2025. CA Physician Service (Blue Shield of CA) This filing covers the proposed rate changes on the non-grandfathered individual plans. The average rate change is 9.3% and varies from -22.2% to 25.3% depending on benefit plan and geographic rating region.

Lazarou Monkey Terror 🚀💙🌈 and 1 other boosted

Bích-Mây Nguyễn :verified:

@bicmay@med-mastodon.com · 4 days ago

"Nearly 10 babies died for every 1,000 live births. For Black babies, it was even higher at 15.2. The numbers — the highest in more than a decade — led the state of Mississippi under Edney's leadership to declare a public health emergency on Aug. 21."

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/10/02/nx-s1-5558448/mississippi-medicaid-infant-mortality-crisis

#PublicHealth #healthcare #medicaid #ACA #insurance #InfantMortality #ChildrensHealth #hospitals #RuralHealth #ReproHealth #ReproJustice #pregnancy #prenatal #mississippi

Democracy Matters :verified:

@DemocracyMattersALot@mstdn.social · 2 days ago

FUCK MIKE JOHNSON.
Republicans are terrorists. The US does not negotiate with terrorists.

Johnson says ACA negotiations can't happen until the government reopens
https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/news/johnson-aca-democrats-shutdown-trump-rcna235706

#Shutdown #ACA #Obamacare #Medicare #Medicaid #MikeJohnson #RepoublicanTerror #USPol

MSNBC.com

Johnson says ACA negotiations can't happen until the government reopens

The House speaker continued to blame Democrats for the ongoing shutdown as they hold the line on health care.

Democracy Matters :verified:

@DemocracyMattersALot@mstdn.social · 2 days ago

#Shutdown #Healthcare #RepublicansKill #ACA #USPol

Hey MAGA:

The only thing standing between you and medical bankruptcy is the "radical left" you hate so much. — Hey MAGA: The only thing standing between you and medical bankruptcy is the "radical left" you hate so much.

Charles Gaba

@charlesgaba@mastodon.social · 2 days ago

📣 NEW: In which I finally put that absurd 2013 WSJ graphic to good use.

2026 #ACA Window Shopping is LIVE in Georgia, Idaho, Nevada, New York and Virginia.

Here's how much premiums will ACTUALLY spike for 4 households starting January 1st if they don't shop around.

https://acasignups.net/25/10/05/which-i-finally-put-absurd-2013-wsj-graphic-good-use

ACA Signups

In which I finally put that absurd 2013 WSJ graphic to good use

Twelve years ago, the Wall St. Journal ran a story about the impact of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which was a sweeping tax bill signed into law by President Obama which locked in the Bush tax cuts for lower & middle-class households while allowing them to expire on schedule for wealthier Americans: A compromise measure, the Act gives permanence to the lower rate of much of the Bush tax cuts, while retaining the higher tax rate at upper income levels that became effective on January 1 due to the expiration of the Bush tax cuts. It also establishes caps on tax deductions and credits for those at upper income levels. It does not tackle federal spending levels to a great extent, rather leaving that for further negotiations and legislation. The American Taxpayer Relief Act passed by a wide majority in the Senate, with both Democrats and Republicans supporting it, while most of the House Republicans opposed it. The WSJ story, titled "How Much Will Your Taxes Jump?," led to widespread derision at the time for wringing its hands over wealthy people having to go back to (gasp) paying a few percent more of their sky-high incomes in taxes.

Charles Gaba

@charlesgaba@mastodon.social · 4 days ago

📣 UPDATED: With 28 states now having submitted their FINAL 2026 #ACA rate filings, here's what avg. *gross* monthly premiums look like for every state.

Lowest: Idaho ($533/month)

Highest: West Virginia ($1,302/month)

These are without *any* financial assistance.

https://acasignups.net/rate_changes/2026

ACA Signups

2026 Rate Change Project

Every year, I spend months painstakingly tracking every insurance carrier rate filing (nearly 400 for 2025!) for the following year to determine just how much average insurance policy premiums on the individual market are projected to increase or decrease. Carriers tendency to jump in and out of the market, repeatedly revise their requests, and the confusing blizzard of actual filing forms sometimes make it next to impossible to find the specific data I need. I really only need three pieces of information for each carrier: How many effectuated enrollees they had enrolled in ACA-compliant individual market policies as of early this year; What their average projected premium rate change is for those enrollees (assuming 100% of them renew their existing policies, of course); and... Ideally, a breakout of the reasons behind those rate changes, since there's usually more than one. This year, the third bullet above has even more importance due to the almost certain expiration of the enhanced IRA subsidies.

Charles Gaba

@charlesgaba@mastodon.social · 4 days ago

UPDATED: #UTAH insurance regulators sign off on FINAL avg. gross 2026 #ACA rate changes: +14.2% (no change from preliminary)

Again: This is for unsubsidized enrollees only; the vast majority will see much higher NET increases.

https://acasignups.net/rate_changes/2026/ut

ACA Signups

2026 FINAL Gross Rate Changes - Utah: +14.2% (updated)

Originally published 8/04/25 Via the Utah Insurance Dept: BridgeSpan Health Co: The projected average rate change for plans effective January 1, 2026 is 16.0% which is an average rate change of about $87 per member per month (pmpm). Because 16.0% (or about $87) is an average, it is possible to have a different rate change. Factors affecting a member's premium are age, tobacco use, family composition, plan, and geographic area. Expected cost differences by product are updated every year to ensure premium differences are appropriate. BridgeSpan has approximately 200 members enrolled in this line of business as of March 2025. ...The rate change described above is driven by the following factors: Medical Trend : 9.1% Change in Benefits, Age, Area, and Network : -1.5% Change in Market Morbidity : 5.0% Exchange User Fees : 1.0% Other : 2.0% Other includes: actual results vs. expected, changes to admin expenses, and rx rebates. Actual results vs. expected reflect differences between actual results and past assumptions, including a true-up of market morbidity estimates Molina Healthcare of Utah: 1. Scope and range of the rate increase: Molina’s proposed rates represent an average rate change of 31.6% for the 16,620 Molina members enrolled in continuing plans effective April 2025.

Charles Gaba

@charlesgaba@mastodon.social · 4 days ago

UPDATED: #OREGON carriers file FINAL/approved avg. gross 2026 #ACA rate filings: +9.7% (no change from preliminary)

https://acasignups.net/rate_changes/2026/or

ACA Signups

2026 FINAL Gross Rate Changes - Oregon: +9.7% (updated)

Originally posted 6/04/25 via the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation: Oregonians continue to have at least five health insurance companies to choose from in every Oregon county as companies file 2026 health insurance rate requests for individual and small group markets In-depth rate review process just beginning, opportunities for public review and input remain through June 20 June 2, 2025 Oregon health insurers have submitted proposed 2026 rates for individual and small group plans, launching a months-long review process that includes public input and meetings. Five insurers will again offer plans statewide (Moda, Bridgespan, PacificSource, Providence, and Regence), and Kaiser is offering insurance in 11 counties, giving six options to choose from in various areas around the state. In the individual market, six companies submitted rate change requests ranging from an average increase of 3.9 percent (PacificSource) to 12.9 percent (Kaiser), for a weighted average increase of 9.7 percent. That average increase is slightly higher than last year’s requested weighted average increase of 9.3 percent.

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@bicmay@med-mastodon.com · 4 days ago

https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/10/02/nx-s1-5558448/mississippi-medicaid-infant-mortality-crisis

#PublicHealth #healthcare #medicaid #ACA #insurance #InfantMortality #ChildrensHealth #hospitals #RuralHealth #ReproHealth #ReproJustice #pregnancy #prenatal #mississippi

Charles Gaba

@charlesgaba@mastodon.social · 4 days ago

UPDATED: How much more will ~130,000 #IOWA residents pay if the improved #ACA tax credits expire? (updated based on FINAL 2026 rate filings)

https://acasignups.net/ira-subsidy-expiration/ia

ACA Signups

How much more will ~130,000 IOWA residents pay if the improved #ACA subsidies expire? (updated)

Originally posted 12/11/24 Iowa has around 136,000 residents enrolled in ACA exchange plans, 88% of whom are currently subsidized. I estimate they also have another ~9,600 unsubsidized off-exchange enrollees. Combined, that's over 146,000 people, although assuming the national average 6.6% net enrollment attrition rate applies, current enrollment would be down to more like 136,000 statewide. In early 2021, Congressional Democrats & President Biden passed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which dramatically expanded & enhanced the original premium subsidy formula of the Affordable Care Act, finally bringing the financial aid sliding income scale up to the level it should have been in the first place over a decade earlier. They then extended the subsidy upgrade out by another 3 years via the Inflation Reduction Act. In addition to beefing up the subsidies along the entire 100 - 400% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) income scale, the upgrade eliminated the much-maligned "Subsidy Cliff" at 400% FPL, wherein a household earning even $1 more than that had all premium subsidies cut off immediately, requiring middle-class families to pay full price for individual market health insurance policies.

Charles Gaba

@charlesgaba@mastodon.social · 4 days ago

IOWA insurance regulators issue FINAL avg. gross 2025 #ACA rate changes: +15.3%

Again: That's for *unsubsidized* enrollees; NET rate hikes will be much higher for the vast majority of enrollees.

https://acasignups.net/rate_changes/2026/ia

ACA Signups

2026 FINAL Gross Rate Changes - Iowa: +15.3% avg (updated)

originally posted 7/17/25 via the Iowa Insurance Division: Iowa Code §505.19 requires the Commissioner to hold a public hearing on a proposed individual health insurance rate increase which exceeds the average annual health spending growth rate as published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the United State Department of Health and Human Services. For 2026 the growth rate is 5.6%. The Iowa Insurance Commissioner will hold a public hearing regarding the relevant rate increases on August 19, 2025. The purpose will be to hear public comments on the proposed increase in the base premium rate. Consumers wishing to make a public comment at the hearing are encouraged to attend the hearing via the live webcast. All comments received will be considered public records and will be posted here. The Consumer Advocate will present the public comments received at the hearing. 2026 Golden Rule - Pre-ACA Golden Rule has requested a new rate increase effective Jan 1, 2026 for Generations 1-22 and 25-27; June 15, 2026 for Gens. 23; and June 1, 2026 for Gen. 24. The requested increase is 24.6%. 2026 Wellmark Inc. - Pre-ACA Wellmark, Inc. has requested a new rate increase effective Jan. 1, 2026 for individual pre-ACA plans.

Charles Gaba

@charlesgaba@mastodon.social · 5 days ago

📣 UPDATED: Two new polls confirm: Out of the gate, Americans STRONGLY support extending the #ACA tax credits.

🚨 Meanwhile, 58% of enrollees barely knew about the looming danger as of a week ago.

https://acasignups.net/25/10/03/two-new-polls-confirm-it-out-shutdown-gate-americans-strongly-support-extending-enhanced

ACA Signups

Two new polls confirm it: Out of the shutdown gate, Americans STRONGLY support extending the enhanced ACA tax credits (updated)

Via NBC News: A Washington Post poll conducted on Oct. 1, the first day of the shutdown, found that 47% of U.S. adults blame Trump and Republicans in Congress, while 30% blame Democrats and 23% said they're not sure. The survey found that independents blamed Trump and Republicans over Democrats by a wide margin of 50% to 22%. And one-third of Republicans were either unsure who to blame (25%) or blamed their party (8%). While I'm glad to see that far more people are rightly blaming Trump & Congressional Republicans, it's the other section of the survey which I find more noteworthy: Federal subsidies that reduce the cost of Affordable Care Act health insurance plans are scheduled to end at the end of this year. Should these subsidies... Be Extended: 71% End as Scheduled: 29% That's right: Americans support extending the enhanced federal tax credits by more than a 2:1 margin, which I find pleasantly surprising given that only around 7% of the total population is enrolled in an ACA exchange plan. But wait, there's more: (Among those who said subsidies should be extended) Do you think Democrats in Congress should...?

Charles Gaba

@charlesgaba@mastodon.social · 5 days ago

Washington Post Poll: Out of the shutdown gate, Americans *strongly* support extending the enhanced #ACA tax credits:

https://acasignups.net/25/10/02/washington-post-poll-out-shutdown-gate-americans-strongly-support-extending-enhanced-aca

ACA Signups

Washington Post Poll: Out of the shutdown gate, Americans STRONGLY support extending the enhanced ACA tax credits

Democracy Matters :verified:

@DemocracyMattersALot@mstdn.social · 6 days ago

There are few things funnier to Republicans than taking away healthcare from millions of Americans. They've tried to end Obamacare FIFTY TIMES.

#Healthcare #Obamacare #ACA #TrumpDidThis #RepublicansDidThis #GOPKakistocracy #AmericanFascistParty #Project2025 #NoRepublicansEverAgain #USPol

Charles Gaba

@charlesgaba@mastodon.social · 6 days ago

IDAHO: Final gross avg. 2026 #ACA rate changes: +10.5% (updated)

https://acasignups.net/rate_changes/2026/id

ACA Signups

2026 Final Gross Rate Changes - Idaho: +10.5% (updated)

Originally published 8/03/25 via the Idaho Insurance Dept: This is the summary page for 2026. The Department of Insurance receives preliminary health plan information for the following year from insurance carriers by June 1 and reviews the proposed plan documents and rates for compliance with Idaho and federal regulations.The Department of Insurance does not have the authority to set or establish insurance rates, but it does have the authority to deem rate increases submitted by insurance companies as reasonable or unreasonable. After the review and negotiation process, the carriers submit their final rate increase information. The public is invited to provide comments on the rate changes. Please send any comments to Idaho Department of Insurance. A key driver of increases is generally the level of health claims paid compared to the premium collected. The table below shows the level of claims paid and premium collected by each insurance company for ACA-compliant health benefit plans during 2024. In addition to claims paid, the premium needs to cover the company’s administrative costs, insurance fees, and taxes. Those costs generally consume around 20 percent of the premium.

Charles Gaba

@charlesgaba@mastodon.social · 6 days ago

The good news is that the Minnesota Commerce Dept. has published the final avg. 2026 #ACA rate filing decisions.

The bad news is that avg. full-price premiums are increasing by *more* than initially projected...22.1% vs. 16.9%.

https://acasignups.net/rate_changes/2026/mn

ACA Signups

2026 Rate Changes - Minnesota: +22.1% avg (up from 16.9% preliminary filings)

Originally posted 6/19/25 via the Minnesota Commerce Dept: Federal policy shifts drive higher 2026 rates for individual and small group health plans State actions blunt increases tied to the reconciliation bills and policy direction of the federal government St. Paul, MN: Health insurers have submitted their proposed increased rates to the Minnesota Department of Commerce for 2026 plans available to Minnesotans who buy individual or small group health insurance through MNsure or directly through insurers. These proposed rates apply to coverage starting Jan. 1, 2026, with open enrollment beginning Nov. 1, 2025. Federal policy shifts are driving uncertainty in the market, which is contributing to higher proposed rates. Provisions in the House-passed and Senate-proposed reconciliation bills eliminate the ability of thousands of Minnesotans to automatically renew their insurance, raise out-of-pocket costs for consumers, and lower the overall value of the insurance plans sold on the market. Consumers will also experience higher prices if, as currently laid out in the reconciliation bills, the programs offering additional financial help to reduce monthly premium costs are allowed to expire.

Charles Gaba

@charlesgaba@mastodon.social · last week

🚨🚨 114% is the new 75%: As I warned in July, net #ACA rate hikes will increase EVEN MORE if the improved tax credits expire due to the Trump Regime changing the PAPI formula:

https://acasignups.net/25/09/30/114-new-75-i-warned-net-aca-rate-hikes-will-increase-even-more-if-improved-tax-credits

ACA Signups

114% is the new 75%: As I warned, net ACA rate hikes will increase EVEN MORE if the improved tax credits expire

(with apologies to “Weird Al” Yankovic) Back in July, I warned that my original projections from earlier in the year of how much net ACA enrollee premiums will increase starting in January 2026 in all 50 states +DC if the enhanced premium tax credits are allowed to expire would have to be revised & updated due to two major changes which had taken place since then: First, my original analysis assumed a 4.3% average full-price premium increase in every state. At the time none of the carriers had published even preliminary filings for 2026, so all I had to go with was the Congressional Budget Office's projection that the subsidies expiring would bump up avg. gross premiums by 4.3% by itself. That 4.3% didn't include any other "normal" factors such as general inflation, increased utilization of medical services, the added cost of covering new prescription medications like GLP-1 drugs (WeGovy, Ozempic, etc) and so on. It also couldn't account for the impact of the Trump Regime's tariffs on foreign-produced medical equipment and prescription drugs, which hadn't been imposed yet.