eHealth Post-Open Enrollment Report: Premiums Rise Most for Those Under Age 25; Average Family Premium Tops $1,100 Per Month
Unsubsidized families pay an average monthly premium for Obamacare
coverage that is
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Average 2018 premiums for unsubsidized individuals and families. (Graphic: Business Wire)
- Average premiums for unsubsidized individuals and families increased 16 percent and 17 percent, respectively, between the 2017 and 2018 open enrollment periods.
- Premiums rose most for people under the age of 25.
-
Families are paying average monthly premiums of more than
$1,100 per month. - Families bought gold policies at a higher rate than last year.
- More than half of those signing up for coverage at eHealth did so in the final week of the 2018 open enrollment period.
“Forty–three
percent of people buying coverage in the private health insurance
market do not qualify for government subsidies,” said eHealth CEO
THE COST OF INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY COVERAGE
Average monthly premiums
The average monthlypremium for individual coverage increased 16
percent between the 2017 and 2018 open enrollment periods, from
The average premium for family coverage (two or more people) increased
17 percent for 2018, from
Individual | Family | |||||
2018 | $440 | $1,168 | ||||
2017 | $378 | $997 | ||||
INDIVIDUAL COVERAGE COSTS & TRENDS
Average monthly premiums by metal level
Between the 2017 and 2018 open enrollment periods, the average premium for individual coverage increased by 16 percent for bronze plans, 19 percent for silver plans, and 17 percent for gold plans.
For 2018 coverage, the average monthly premium was 36 percent higher for a gold plan than for a bronze plan, which is comparable to previous years.
Catastrophic | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Platinum | |||||||||||
2018 | $206 | $434 | $498 | $589 | $709 | ||||||||||
2017 | $173 | $374 | $418 | $502 | $575 | ||||||||||
Average monthly premiums by age band
Average premiums increased significantly for all age groups, but most notably for children under age 18 (26 percent) and young adults age 18-24 (18 percent).
Individuals age 35-44 saw only a nine percent increase in average premiums between the 2017 and 2018 open enrollment periods, a more moderate change compared to the 19 percent increase the same age group saw between the 2016 and 2017 open enrollment periods.
The average annual premium for individuals in the 25-34 age range was
Under age 18 | Age 18-24 | Age 25-34 | Age 35-44 | Age 45-54 | Age 55-64 | |||||||||||||
2018 |
$231 | $257 | $312 | $395 | $541 | $791 | ||||||||||||
2017 | $184 | $217 | $283 | $361 | $478 | $695 | ||||||||||||
Distribution of metal plan selections for individuals
While there was no change in the percentage of bronze level plans selected between the 2017 and 2018 open enrollment periods, three percent fewer individuals selected silver plans, while two percent more selected catastrophic plans. This may be due in part to premium increases broadly targeted to silver plans in response to the cessation of cost-sharing reduction payments by the Trump administration.
Catastrophic | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Platinum | |||||||||||
2018 | 16% | 42% | 28% | 11% | 2% | ||||||||||
2017 | 14% | 42% | 31% | 10% | 3% | ||||||||||
FAMILY COSTS & TRENDS
Average monthly premiums by metal level
Families in the private insurance market that don’t qualify for
subsidies were hit particularly hard this year, with average premiums
The average premium for family coverage increased 17 percent for bronze plans, 18 percent for silver plans, and 15 percent for gold plans in 2018.
Catastrophic | Bronze | Silver | Gold |
Platinum |
|||||||||||
2018 | $430 | $1,056 | $1,257 | $1,435 | $1,707 | ||||||||||
2017 | $367 | $903 | $1,061 | $1,252 | $1,472 | ||||||||||
Distribution of metal plan selections for families
During the 2018 open enrollment period, five percent fewer families selected silver plans at eHealth than during the 2017 open enrollment period. This may be due in part to premium increases broadly targeted to silver plans in response to the cessation of cost-sharing reduction payments by the Trump administration.
Four percent more families selected gold plans during the 2018 open enrollment period.
Catastrophic | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Platinum | |||||||||||
2018 | 4% | 47% | 34% | 14% | 2% | ||||||||||
2017 | 3% | 46% | 39% | 10% | 2% | ||||||||||
A COMPRESSED OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD
Distribution of enrollments across the 2017 and 2018 open enrollment periods
More than two-thirds (69 percent) of people who signed up for individual and family health insurance at eHealth did so during the final third of the 2018 open enrollment period. More than half (55 percent) did so during the last week alone.
By comparison, the second third of the 2017 open enrollment period saw
the greatest number of enrollments. This difference is likely due to the
fact that the nationwide open enrollment period for 2018 coverage was
half as long as the previous year, ending on
First third |
Second third |
Final third | Last week only | |||||||||
2018 |
16% | 15% | 69% | 55% | ||||||||
2017 | 22% | 48% | 30% | 15% | ||||||||
See the methodology note below for more information on these calculations
Methodology information
Data reported by eHealth are based on applications submitted at
eHealth.com for individual and family health insurance plans by
unsubsidized shoppers only
It should be noted that catastrophic plans are only available to consumers under age 30 and to certain others who may qualify for a special exemption. Platinum plans are not broadly available in some areas and the number of people purchasing platinum plans makes up a small percentage of the those who selected plans at eHealth during the 2018 open enrollment period.
Plan prices shown are based on eHealth’s customer data for areas where eHealth sells unsubsidized Obamacare-compliant major medical plans. Actual plan prices vary by geographical area, age, and other factors. In addition, the plans available in each state vary. The plans available for purchase by unsubsidized customers on eHealth do not necessarily reflect all plans that may be available in a particular area. Percentages and dollars have been rounded to the nearest full percentage point or dollar.
The 2017 open enrollment period ran from
About eHealth
For more health insurance news and information, visit eHealth's Consumer Resource Center.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171220005267/en/
Source:
DMA Communications for eHealth, Inc.
Sande Drew, 916-207-7674
sande.drew@ehealth.com
or
eHealth,
Inc.
Lisa Zamosky, 650-864-6032
lisa.zamosky@ehealth.com