From Reuters:
Health insurer Aetna Inc is submitting premium rates to regulators for Obamacare insurance plans for 2015 that generally increase less than 20 percent from 2014, its Chief Executive Officer Mark Bertolini said on Wednesday.
"We have rates that are in the zero category. On average, it's in the low double digits, as a rate increase across the population," Bertolini said.
Bertolini's comments, made during a Goldman Sachs healthcare conference outside Los Angeles, come as insurers prepare next year's health plans for the insurance exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.
About 8 million people have signed up for these plans, which are provided by commercial subscribers and come with income-based government subsidies.
While Aetna and other insurers say they have lost money providing these plans this year, insurers are expanding into new markets for 2015 to capture a growing customer base.
Bertolini said about half the rate of increases the insurer has submitted for 2015 were due to changes in Obamacare. ...
