- HHS Report: Obamacare Premiums Rise Significantly The Hill by Nathaniel Weixel — Premiums for Obamacare plans are rising significantly in many counties across the country according to a new government report, which experts have largely attributed to actions taken by the Trump administration. According to the report from the Department of Health and Human Services, premiums are increasing for the average "benchmark" plans by about 37 percent. But tax credit subsidies are also rising, meaning more people will be able to purchase insurance at lower rates. According to the report, nearly 80 percent of Obamacare enrollees will be able to find plans for less than $75 per month after tax credits. That's an increase from 71 percent over plan-year 2017.
- Increased Cost of Health Policies Will Be Offset by Subsidies for Many NPR by Alison Kodjak — It's time to start shopping for health insurance if you're one of the millions who buys it on an Affordable Care Act exchange. Open enrollment for 2018 starts Wednesday, and new numbers released by the Trump Administration show that the average cost of a benchmark policy will be about 27 percent higher next year. But that's just the headline. The details suggest there's good news for lots of people who are willing to shop around a bit for insurance. "In theory anyone who gets a subsidy should do better next year," says Charles Gaba, an analyst who runs the website ACASignups.net. "I have one piece of advice: Shop around." An analysis released Monday by the Department of Health and Human Services shows that while the average premium is going up, the average subsidy to help defray that cost is going up even more. The average tax credit offered to people to cut the price of their insurance will rise in 2018 to $555 — up 45 percent from this year's average credit of $382.