• Over the first three years of Obamacare, per capita monthly premiums in New Jersey increased by 14%, from $419 in 2013 to $477 in 2016. New Jersey had insurance market regulations similar to Obamacare in effect before Obamacare was enacted.
• Over the first five years of Obamacare, the number of insurers offering Exchange coverage in New Jersey remained the same from 3 in 2013 to 3 in 2018.
• 2019 Rate Request:On the Exchange, AmeriHealth has requested average rate increases of 0.8 percent and 1.4 percent for its two sets of plans, Horizon Blue Cross has requested average rate increases of 9.2 percent and 0.3 percent for its two sets of plans, and Oscar has requested an average rate increase of 6.2 percent for its plans. Off the Exchange, Oxford (a subsidiary of United) has requested an average rate increase of 1.8 percent.
• 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.