On Thursday, May 23, 2013, California health officials released rate filings for plans that will be sold on California’s state operated Health Insurance Marketplace called Covered California. Although the rates are lower than expected, averaging about $321 a month for a Silver level plan, Pete Lee, Director for Covered California, acknowledged that there may still be some “sticker-shock,” particularly for middle-income earners who do not qualify for premium tax credits or cost sharing subsidies under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Such subsidies are generally available to individuals and families making between 100% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Level in states that have chosen not to expand Medicaid. In 2013, 400% of the Federal Poverty Level for an individual is $45,960 and $94,200 for a family of four.
California is the eighth state to release anticipated health insurance rates for a state-run public Health Insurance Marketplace. It also has the largest estimated uninsured population of any state, topping out at nearly 7 million uninsured. Maryland and Vermont have already released rate filings for the health plans likely to be available on the Health Insurance Marketplace in those states.
For more information about the published rates, see these articles from the Los Angeles Times, Kaiser Health News, the Washington Post, and The Hill’s Healthwatch Blog.
