Overnight Healthcare: Average premiums to rise on key ObamaCare plans

The price of the benchmark ObamaCare plan will jump by 7.5 percent on average next year, according to data released Monday.

This year’s premium increase is far more than last year’s 2 percent jump among benchmark silver plans. Those plans, the second-lowest cost option among silver plans, are critical as they determine healthcare subsidies for people living in that area even if they pick a different tiered plan.

The new data comes just five days before open enrollment, and one day after customers could begin “window shopping” for plans online.

{mosads}Silver plans are the most popular plans nationwide, with about 70 percent of people choosing one. About 11 percent of all customers picked the benchmark plan last year, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The increase for next year does not take into account the billions of dollars in government subsidies that are given to people on the exchanges. It also doesn’t include the dozen state marketplaces that set their own rates and determine their own benchmark plans.

The data released Monday afternoon shows that the change in premium prices varies widely among the 34 states.

While Oklahoma will see an increase of 35.7 percent, Indiana will see a decrease of 12 percent. Three other states also see drops in their premiums — Maine, Mississippi and Ohio. Read more here. 

EMERGING BUDGET DEAL COULD FIX MEDICARE SPIKE: The emerging budget deal between the White House and Congress would prevent double-digit premium hikes that would hit 8 million Medicare Part B enrollees in 2016, according to House sources.

Republicans in both chambers will meet separately about the budget proposals Monday evening. Potential offsets are still under wraps, though fears are growing about potential cuts to Medicare and Social Security. White House spokesman Josh Earnest declined to comment Monday, but said the administration was part of the discussions.

Averting the 52 percent premium increases has been a priority for Pelosi and could help win Democratic support for the package.

She began talks on the topic with Boehner in mid-September. Staving off the increases is expected to cost about $7.5 billion, and Democratic aides have said Pelosi’s office was quietly negotiating with Boehner on the offsets.

“The emerging agreement would be for two years and achieves parity in the sequester relief between defense and nondefense investments. The sequester package would also address the Medicare Part B issue, protecting millions of seniors from significant increases to their premiums and deductibles,” a House source said.

BACON, HOT DOGS LINKED TO CANCER: Eating bacon, hot dogs and red meat increases your risk of cancer, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report released Monday.

The WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified processed meats, including bacon, sausage, hot dogs and beef jerky, as a known carcinogen to humans and found that consuming a daily portion of 50 grams or about 1.8 ounces, increases the risk of colon or rectal cancer by 18 percent. Read more here.

BLAME FALLS ON MENTAL ILLNESS, NOT GUN LAWS, FOR SHOOTINGS: Six in 10 people say mass shootings are more a reflection of problems identifying and treating people with mental illness, according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll.

Just 23 percent say that the shootings are more a result of inadequate gun control laws.

There are sharp partisan divisions on the question: 82 percent of Republicans point to mental health over gun laws, compared to 65 percent of independents and 46 percent of Democrats. Read more here.

Tuesday’s schedule

The Congressional Autism Caucus holds a briefing on best practices for early intervention.

The House Agriculture Committee holds a subcommittee hearing on the future of SNAP.

What we’re reading

Sessions: Planned Parenthood is still sticking point in budget debate

Trump in NH: ‘We’re going to get rid of ObamaCare’

GOP seizes on ObamaCare co-op failures

State by state

Burwell visits Dallas amid Planned Parenthood fight

Medicaid cuts worry Ohio families

One of Wisconsin’s four abortion clinics suspends operations

What you might have missed from The Hill

Fox News grills Carson on ending Medicare

Carson compares abortion to slavery

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