• Over the first three years of Obamacare, per capita monthly premiums in Idaho increased by 70%, from $199 in 2013 to $338 in 2016.
• Over the first five years of Obamacare, 20% fewer insurers offered Exchange coverage in Idaho, from 5 in 2013 to 4 in 2018.
• 2019 Rate Request Submission: In Idaho, SelectHealth, which increased its rates in 2018 by an average of 27.96% percent, proposes to reduce its rates for 2019 by an average of 0.85%. The four other Idaho individual market insurers propose 2019 rate increases, averaging: 3.9% for Regence Blue Shield, 9.55% for Blue Cross of Idaho, 23% for Montana Health Cooperative, and 24.54% for PacificSource Health Plans.
• 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.