Health Insurance Marketplaces: Early Findings on Changes in Plan Availability and Premiums in Rural Places, 2014-2015

Date
05/2015
Description

Analysis of nationwide county-level Health Insurance Marketplace plan and premium data for 2014 and 2015 provides evidence that many low-density rating areas are gaining firms and that average premium growth is low in many rural areas. However, premium growth is somewhat higher in low-density rating areas, and a small minority of rural states have experienced large average premium increases. Thus there is no systematic pattern to rural experiences of HIMs, although some isolated places may be at risk for weak outcomes.

Center
RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Authors
Abigail Barker, Timothy McBride, Leah Kemper, Keith Mueller