Large increases in health insurance rates in Oregon are one step closer to reality.
Oregonians who don’t get their insurance through work are facing rate hikes of about 10 to 30 percent next year, according to preliminary figures out of the state. That means a Silver Standard Plan for a 40-year-old Portland resident is likely to range from about $310 to $440 a month.
Jesse O’Brien with the insurance watchdog OSPIRG said many of the increases are needed to keep insurance companies healthy.
“I fundamentally agree that some level of rate increase was necessary and that a lot of the problem right now in terms of increasing cost is on the provider side,” he said.
Those increases are coming from higher drug prices and contracts with specialty providers. Many consumers receive federal tax credits to help pay for increases.
The Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems didn’t want to comment. Public hearings on the preliminary rates are scheduled for next week.
Copyright 2016 Oregon Public Broadcasting
