An analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that actions by the Trump administration are triggering double-digit premium increases on individual health insurance policies.
The President’s actions have created uncertainty and led insurers to seek higher premium increases for 2018 than would otherwise have been the case.
The uncertainty comes from Congress’s inability to pass health care legislation to repeal, replace, or take other actions to lower the cost associated with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Trump is insisting that lawmakers try again and that health care overhaul is collapsing. At the same time, Trump is threatened to stop billions of dollars in payments to insurers.
Kaiser researchers predict premiums for the ACA’s silver plan in 20 states and Washington, D.C. will see increases of 10 percent or more next year.
About 10 million people who buy policies through HealthCare.gov and state-run markets are potentially affected, as are 5 million to 7 million more who purchase individual policies on their own.
Moreover, the report found insurer participation in the ACA markets will be lower than at any time since they opened for business in 2014.
By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar
