Our Health Policy Matters

There was some surprisingly good news this month about the cost of insurance under Obamacare.  It will be cheaper than expected.  But it remains to be seen – will cheaper insurance satisfy Obamacare doubters on either the left or the right? I doubt it, but first let’s take a look at the details. A few months ago, the Wall Street Journal warned of health insurance sticker shock when the Obamacare insurance exchanges open for business in another ten weeks.  There could be an up-to-50 percent increase in health insurance premiums, the Journal warned. But a report this month from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) brought a surprise.  Based on data from the first eleven states reporting actual premium numbers, ASPE now says that insurance costs for Obamacare “silver” plans for individuals will be 18 percent lower than originally projected by CBO. Premiums for the l...

There was some surprisingly good news this month about the cost of insurance under Obamacare.  It will be cheaper than expected.  But it remains to be seen – will cheaper insurance satisfy Obamacare doubters on either the left or the right? I doubt it, but first let’s take a look at the details. A few months ago, the Wall Street Journal warned of health insurance sticker shock when the Obamacare insurance exchanges open for business in another ten weeks.  There could be an up-to-50 percent increase in health insurance premiums, the Journal warned. But a report this month from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) brought a surprise.  Based on data from the first eleven states reporting actual premium numbers, ASPE now says that insurance costs for Obamacare “silver” plans for individuals will be 18 percent lower than originally projected by CBO. Premiums for the l...