INDIANAPOLIS – Premiums in the health insurance marketplace, for those covered under the Affordable Care Act, are expected to rise at least 20 percent in 2018.
Several health policy experts believe some Hoosiers will pay close to $500 per month, which will cause many people to look for other ways to save.
"Sometimes it's a choice between your medicine, and I've even cut back from going to the doctor, just so I wouldn't have a lot of medical bills. So it's not good,” said Linda Rowan, who has Lupus and underwent CT scans and MRIs for aneurysms she’s had in the past.
University of Indianapolis’ Director of Public Health programs, Heidi Hancher-Rauch, said “uncertainty” is the reason for rising costs.
“Insurance companies are left trying to figure out, OK, if we aren't going to get that money from the government, how are we going to make up that difference,” said Hancher-Rauch.
Another uncertainty is whether the requirement for everyone to get insurance will be enforced.
"We rely on those healthy people who are paying into the plans to do that cost sharing among all of us,” said Hancher-Rauch. “We absolutely need those healthy people paying into the insurance to help offset some of those costs for the older and sicker individuals."
Many people with plans in the health care marketplace will receive tax credits to help offset costs.
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