Among the highlights of the study:

There were double-digit increases in 10 states plus the District of Columbia (Alaska, the District of Columbia, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and West Virginia).
Average premiums declined in 14 states (Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Virginia and Washington).
Single-insurer market decisions drove increases and decreases in some states. In Minnesota, PreferredOne — the carrier with the lowest statewide premiums and largest market share — exited the market, driving up the average cost of a marketplace plan. In Virginia, Optima Health, a carrier charging $2,000 a month for a silver plan,a figure nearly seven times the cost of the average silver plan, dropped this expensive plan, thereby sharply decreasing the average cost for plans in Virginia.
Two states, Alaska and Minnesota, had double-digit increases in the cost of the benchmark plans.
Premiums for the benchmark plan declined in 20 states, with six states having double-digit decreases (Colorado, Connecticut, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Rhode Island).
The number of plans offered nationwide increased by 25 percent, and 50 more carriers offered plans in urban areas.
Slightly more states saw increases than decreases in plan deductibles (26 states versus 19).

The authors noted that the current period of no-to-low growth in premium and deductible costs could well be merely a blip.

Instant Insights /

PPACA plans show 'unprecedented' stability