Health insurance premiums could rise by as much as 40 percent as a result of President Obama’s healthcare law, according to a new study.
The survey of premiums in six states found that premiums could increase most significantly for young, healthy men.
Premiums will rise for people who currently purchase bare-bones plans with high deductibles and meager coverage. They’ll be forced to upgrade to policies that must offer at least a certain level of coverage.
Democrats say many of the meager policies on the market today give people a false sense of security — they think they have health insurance, but their policies don’t actually cover the services they’re most likely to need, even in an emergency.
Republicans argue that forcing consumers to purchase different plans violates President Obama’s pledge that people who like their healthcare coverage can keep it. The changes impose higher costs on those who can least afford it, critics say.
Most people who see their premiums rise will get help from the federal government to help cover the additional costs, according to Thursday’s survey, which was conducted by the Milliman consulting firm on behalf of Center Forward.