BRIEF: Obamacare: More options, lower rates in store for 2019 in Pennsylvania

Oct. 18--The Pennsylvania insurance department approved 2019 premium rates on the Affordable Care Act marketplace, a statewide aggregate decrease of 2.3 percent for individual plans, the department announced Thursday.

Buyers across the state will have more options as about half of Pennsylvania's counties will see more insurers offering plans.

UPMC, a Pittsburgh-based insurance company, will offer plans in Lehigh County for the first time next year. Its offerings add to the growing number of plans available in the county.

"These rates reflect my administration's efforts to stabilize the health insurance market and afford Pennsylvania consumers the access to health care they deserve," Gov. Tom Wolf said in a prepared statement. "Despite the Trump Administration's numerous efforts to undermine the ACA and discourage consumers from signing up, including cutting the open enrollment period in half, decimating funding for marketing the ACA to the public and funding for navigators, the Insurance Department has brought consumers choice and is working tirelessly to achieve affordability."

Open enrollment runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15. Plans can be purchased at Healthcare.gov.

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