Massachusetts is sticking with a relatively new approach to protecting state residents against health care cost increases.
The state now requires issuers of individual coverage and fully insured group coverage to limit increases in the enrollees' out-of-pocket costs to the Consumer Price Index inflation rate for the Boston area.
For 2027, the cap will be 3.6%, officials announced last month.
The state first began applying the out-of-pocket cost increase cap in 2026, which was initially 4.8%.
The cap affects plan deductibles, co-payment bills and coinsurance bills.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, said in a comment in the 2027 limit announcement that the state added the cap because Massachusetts families are struggling to afford health care.
"Unpredictable out-of-pocket costs are a major driver of that," Healey said.
What it means: The limit on cost-sharing in Massachusetts could protect the workers covered by insured group health plans against big, unexpected bills, but it could add to pressure on insurers to increase the premiums.
Backdrop: Supporters of benefits structures that keep patients' out-of-pocket costs relatively high argue that giving the patients significant "skin in the game" discourages unnecessary use of care.
Opponents of the skin-in-the-game strategy contend that it tends to keep people with serious chronic conditions from getting care that they need.
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