• Over the first three years of Obamacare, per capita monthly premiums in Michigan increased by 84%, from $212 in 2013 to $390 in 2016.
• Over the first five years of Obamacare, 50% fewer insurers offered Exchange coverage in Michigan, from 14 in 2013 to 7 in 2018.
• 2019 Rate Request: In Michigan, Priority Health proposes to reduce its rates by an average of 2.5% for 2019; Health Alliance proposes to keep its rates unchanged; Blue Cross & Blue Shield proposes average rate increases of 1.1% and 4.2% for plans offered by its two subsidiaries. The five other insurers selling individual market coverage in Michigan propose average rate increases of: 0.7% for Meridian Health Plan; 1.6% for Molina; 3% for Physicians Health Plan; 7.6% for Total Health Care, and; 11.1% for McLaren Health Plan. These relatively modest 2019 rate change proposals likely reflect the fact that Michigan insurers all had significant 2018 rate increases—ranging from 16.1% to 53.2%
• 2019 Rate Finalized: Finalized by mid-October

Health care remains a major focus of the public discussion as premium prices rise and choices dwindle. Throughout the summer and into the fall, Obamacare insurers will announce decisions about the prices they want to charge and plans they want to offer next year, submitting them to regulators for review and approval. Research shows prices have been rising steadily since Obamacare was first implemented, more than doubling in some places because of its failed policies and regulations.

The best way to provide relief for Americans struggling under these heavy burdens is to replace Obamacare with free-market solutions that put patients and doctors—not federal bureaucrats—in charge of health care decisions and dollars.

The three states that have begun to provide this kind of relief – after being granted federal waivers from Obamacare - are seeing rate reductions. Congress should go farther and make it easy for states to take these actions.

This piece was authored by Ed Haislmaier.