◼ Democrats have brushed aside Obamacare-related rate hikes, calling them business as usual, but the health care law was supposed to bring health care costs down. But Obamacare supporters have largely abandoned the pledge to lower premium costs outright. - Daily Caller
States are releasing 2015 premiums one-by-one and most rates will be made public by September. The timing of the expected rate hikes is making White House officials increasingly nervous about Democratic prospects in the November midterm elections, Politico reports.
While premiums are already increasing, certain provisions in the health care law are preventing customers from feeling the full brunt of Obamacare. The law’s risk corridor provisions redistribute funds amongst insurers participating in the exchanges, attempting to prevent companies from hiking rates due to enrolling high numbers of sick and costly individuals.
But several of the risk corridor provisions will be terminated in 2016 — and experts expect that health insurance premiums will skyrocket the next year.
