HELENA — Montana’s insurance commissioner says there will be double-digit rate hikes for health insurance purchased through the online exchange created by President Barack Obama’s health law.
Commissioner Monica Lindeen’s office says the average rate increase for all plans next year will range between 22 percent and 34 percent. For the popular Silver plan, the increase will range from $80 to $88 a month for a 40-year-old person.
Lindeen said Thursday the rates affect about 41,000 people. They don’t include people who receive federal tax credits or those who have insurance through their employers.
The increases are in line with what the three insurers who offer policies through the online marketplace were requesting. Those companies said in June that the claims they paid out last year were higher than the premiums they took in.