Overview
- Healthcare.gov pricing is expected within days and federal open enrollment begins Nov. 1 as Congress remains in a shutdown-driven stalemate over extending enhanced premium tax credits.
- Idaho’s early marketplace data show approved individual rates up roughly 10% in gross terms but about 75% higher net costs to consumers—around $1,200 more per year—with automatic renewals risking lock‑in at higher prices.
- Massachusetts’ exchange estimates average annual premiums rising by more than $1,300 without an extension, with mailed notices now arriving and older and rural residents projected to be hit hardest.
- Reports citing CMS-approved rates point to roughly a 30% average premium increase, while analyses estimate subsidized enrollees’ premium payments could more than double and coverage losses could reach into the millions if no deal is reached.
- Separate from the marketplaces, employer‑sponsored coverage continues to strain budgets, with the average family premium nearing $27,000 this year after another increase driven by drug, hospital and utilization costs.