Sharyl Attkisson, Investor's Business Daily warn of 2015 Obamacare rate shock

Brett T. | 3:38 PM on October 20, 2014

Is rate shock covered by Obamacare? Investor’s Business Daily reports today that it’s almost certainly caused by the Affordable Care Act. Don’t expect it to set in too soon, though; enrollment has been pushed back until after the November elections.

Investigative reporter Sharyl Attkisson picked up on the story.

Uh-oh. Investors Business Daily: "ObamaCare shoppers in search of the lowest-cost plan may come down with a mild case of rate shock when..

— Sharyl Attkisson?️‍♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) October 20, 2014

…2015 exchange enrollment begins next month."

— Sharyl Attkisson?️‍♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) October 20, 2014

That’s not a surprise, but the actual numbers might be.

"..cost of the cheapest bronze plan will jump an average of 13.9% for 40-year-old non-smokers earning 225% of the poverty level ($26,260)."

— Sharyl Attkisson?️‍♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) October 20, 2014

Full story here: http://t.co/2aMRv1CdR9

— Sharyl Attkisson?️‍♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) October 20, 2014

Investor’s Business Daily reports:

The surge in the cost of the cheapest subsidized bronze policy could negatively impact enrollment in 2015. This year, 39% of bronze plan choosers picked the lowest-price option. One might expect that share to rise in 2015, when millions of people who passed on ObamaCare exchanges this year are expected to enroll.

While some potential enrollees may opt out because of the higher cost of bronze, some young adults may instead pick catastrophic plans available to those under 30. The latter scenario is also not great news for ObamaCare exchanges, since catastrophic plan members are grouped separately, leaving the main risk pool relatively older and more costly.