Dems: Early data show premiums falling under Obama health law

Energy and Commerce Democrats argued ahead of a subcommittee hearing on rate increases that the initial results are promising.

“The questions surrounding premiums in the individual market in 2014 have attracted considerable attention and generated some dire predictions of dramatically higher premiums resulting in ‘rate shock,'” the Democratic report states. The actual proposed rates in the first five states to publish the rates do not support these dire predictions.”

Insurers have filed preliminary rates for 2014 in Maryland, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington state. In most cases, rates haven’t spiked as a result of the healthcare law.

Premiums for the cheapest insurance plan in Oregon are expected to fall by an average of 11 percent, and customers in Washington could see a price drop of 21 percent for the cheapest policy, according to the Democratic summary of state rate filings.

Insurers in Vermont and Rhode Island said rate increases would not be significantly affected by the Affordable Care Act.