DENVER (AP) — Filings with the Colorado Division of Insurance indicate the monthly cost of health insurance bought through the state’s exchange is expected to drop an average of 1.4% next year.
Costs depend on where someone lives, though, The Denver Post reported Thursday. Residents in some counties on the Eastern Plains will see 12% increases in their monthly premiums, while Park County residents could pay 12% less, on average.
In Denver, the average premium will drop 1.2%, though surrounding counties will see even bigger decreases.
The Post reports that the average can conceal significant differences among companies, however, and customers should consider the trade-off between higher premiums and higher out-of-pocket costs.
State officials estimate premiums will be about 20.8% lower than they would have been without the reinsurance program, which acts as a backstop for insurers by reimbursing some of the cost of covering customers with higher medical bills.
Adam Fox, deputy director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, said reinsurance has helped, but it could be hard to find an affordable plan in the 10 counties where only one insurer is selling on the exchange.
Premiums in the small-group market, which isn’t affected by reinsurance, will rise about 3.8%. The small group market is open to businesses with no more than 100 employees.