BOSTON (SHNS) – Residents who get insurance coverage through the Massachusetts Health Connector will need to navigate plan disruptions, higher premiums and the potential loss of federal subsidies as they gear up for open enrollment next month.
The complex landscape, fueled by escalating healthcare cost pressures and policy shakeups in Washington, follows last year’s tumultuous open enrollment cycle when the Healey administration had to inject $250 million into heavily subsidized plans to stanch premium hikes from expired federal tax credits.
For 2027, residents enrolling in unsubsidized non-group plans will see an average 12.4% premium increase after taking into account “member aging,” according to a presentation Thursday from Connector program and product specialist Monica Smolinski. At a board meeting, she framed that rate hike in the broader context of the merged market, where many individuals and small businesses get coverage, after the Division of Insurance in July approved an average premium jump of 10.4%…