Initial concerns over ACA health plan premium spikes are off base, analysis finds

Premiums on insurance plans sold on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces rose 8 percent last year, short of the increases projected in some dire warnings, according to The Hill.

ACA health plan premiums increased by an average of 8 percent, or from $356 per month to $386 per month from 2015 to 2016, an HHS report stated. After factoring in the premium tax credits that help 85 percent of consumers with ACA plans afford their insurance, the premium increases shrank to 4 percent, or from $102 per month to $106.

The report repudiates predictions — often put forth by Republicans who opposed the ACA — that premium increases would hit double-digit percentage increases. According to The Hill, such predictions did not take into account the opportunity for consumers to change plans, compare prices and find the most affordable deal, in addition to the possibility for many people to receive government subsidies.

HHS' report comes as insurers prepare to file their proposed premium rates for the ACA marketplaces for 2017 plans.

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