Insurers seeking ACA plan premium increases in Wisconsin for 2027 say rising medical costs and greater use are driving their double-digit requests, while advocates raise concerns about affordability.
Health insurers in the state are requesting an average premium increase of 20.9% for next year, according to rate review filings posted online. All 12 of the insurers that proposed rates for the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace are requesting increases, ranging from about 11% to more than 30%.
Of the 12 insurers that requested rate increases in the state, five responded to requests for comment on their proposals.
Common Ground Healthcare Cooperative, which is proposing the largest increase across its plan categories at 30.88%, said its proposal reflects the expected cost of providing coverage in the coming year and aims to “ensure we can continue to provide high-quality coverage” for its customers.
Compcare Health Services Insurance Corporation, which operates as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin, is requesting a 16.48% rate increase. Spokesperson Emily Snooks says the company’s proposed rates are “a direct reflection of local healthcare costs,” arguing Wisconsin has some of the highest costs in the country.
Meanwhile, Healthpartners Insurance Company is requesting a 15.59% increase, based on anticipated changes in healthcare utilization and benefits. A spokesperson for the insurer said the increase accounted for expected “future medical inflation” and benefit changes between this year and next, based on shifting state and federal regulations.
Medica Community Health Plan, which is requesting a 24.56% increase, says the request “reflects a priority on high value plan offerings and provider partnerships” along with ensuring rates cover the cost of care.
The state’s ACA plan enrollment total dropped by nearly 46,000 earlier this year as the enhanced subsidies went away, falling from 291,336 at the end of open enrollment to 245,753 in February. That decline of 16% matched the national trend.