On October 1, 2013, a Health Insurance Marketplace will open in each state, providing a new, simplified way to compare individual market health insurance plans. Americans will be able to use the Health Insurance Marketplace to shop for and purchase health insurance coverage, which will begin January 1, 2014. 1 In addition, individuals and families with household incomes between 100 percent and 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) who are not eligible for certain other types of coverage may qualify for tax credits to make premiums more affordable.2
This study summarizes the health plan choices and premiums that will be available in the Health Insurance Marketplace. It contains new information, current as of September 18, 2013, on qualified health plans in the 36 states in which the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will support or fully run the Health Insurance Marketplace in 2014. Plan data is in final stages but is still under review as of September 18 and may be revised in HHS systems before being displayed for consumers, so this information is subject to change. This analysis also includes similar information that is publicly available from 11 states and the District of Columbia that are implementing their own Marketplace.4 This study focuses on the plans with the lowest premiums in each state, as consumers are expected to shop for low-cost plans.
Nearly all consumers (about 95%) will have a choice of 2 or more health insurance issuers (often many more) and nearly all consumers (about 95%) live in states with average premiums below earlier estimates.
advertisement