2021 Premium Changes on ACA Exchanges and the Impact of COVID-19 on Rates
KFF October 19, 2020
Insurers planning to offer health plans on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces must submit filings to state or federal regulators detailing their plan offerings and justifying their premiums for the upcoming year. Rates are finalized in early fall (October 15, 2020) ahead of the annual open enrollment period, set to begin on November 1, 2020.
This year, insurers set premiums for 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has created considerable uncertainty as to what health costs, utilization and enrollment will look like next year. In 2020, many insurers have provided premium relief and/or voluntarily waived cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatment for their members due to excessive profits and low medical loss ratios during the pandemic. In our earlier look at...