“Pennsylvania is rolling out its new ‘Pennie’ this fall: a state-run insurance exchange that officials say will save residents collectively millions of dollars on next year’s health plan premiums.”
“Since the Affordable Care Act’s marketplaces opened for enrollment in fall 2013, Pennsylvania, like most states, has used the federal www.healthcare.gov website for people buying coverage on their own.”
“But in a move defying the usual political polarization, state lawmakers from both parties last year agreed the cost of using the federal marketplace had grown too high and the state could do it for much less. They set up the Pennsylvania insurance exchange (nicknamed ‘Pennie’), designed to pass on expected savings to policyholders. Although the final rates for 2021 are not yet set, insurers have requested about a 3% average drop in premiums.”
“Pennsylvania is one of six states shifting in the next several years from the federal insurance exchange to run their own online marketplaces, which determine eligibility, assist with enrollment and connect buyers with insurance companies. They will join 12 states and the District of Columbia with self-contained exchanges.”
“The transitions come amid mounting evidence that state marketplaces attract more consumers, especially young adults, and hold down prices better than the federal exchange…” Read the full article here.
Source: ‘Pennie’-Pinching States Take Over Obamacare Exchanges From Feds – By Phil Galewitz, August 17, 2020. Kaiser Health News.
