Katie Kerwin McCrimmon and Diane Carman, Health News Colorado
“Consumers are pressing for more affordable insurance as carriers unveiled proposed 2015 rates that range from 22 percent cheaper than this year’s premiums to nearly 18 percent more expensive.
Denver Health proposed hiking its rates by 17.5 percent, the largest proposed increase in the state, according to analysts at the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative (CCHI), a consumer advocacy group that is scrutinizing proposed insurance rate hikes and could protest increases it considers unwarranted.
Adam Fox, director of strategic engagement for CCHI said he’s pleased that some carriers are actually proposing rate cuts. For years, health premiums have been rising every year, often at double-digit rates.
“It’s very encouraging to see some of the rates actually going down, but I think the fact that rates are all over the map is largely due to the fact that insurers are still figuring out this new market,” Fox said.
While Fox is generally optimistic about proposed decreases, CCHI is working with another consumer group to ensure rates are as low as possible.””
Read the full article here.