Rep. Shea-Porter Issues Statement on Insurance in New Hampshire

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 -- Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, D-N.H., issued the following statement regarding 2018 individual market insurance rates in New Hampshire:

"I am outraged that the Trump administration's sabotage will cause premiums for some New Hampshire consumers to spike, especially after last year's insignificant rate increase in New Hampshire indicated that our market was stabilizing. I encourage all consumers in New Hampshire who buy their own insurance to visit HealthCare.Gov and see if they are eligible for financial help this year. Some consumers will become newly eligible for help, because Affordable Care Act subsidies to help families afford insurance rise along with benchmark premiums.

"It is important to note that today's insurance rate announcements do not apply to the 70 percent of nonelderly adult Granite Staters who gets their insurance through their job or if they have Medicare or Medicaid. Finally, I share New Hampshire families' frustration with insurance companies that are still charging too much for too little.

"I continue to advocate for a public option that would compete alongside private insurers and increase competition, choice, efficiency, transparency, and affordability in the insurance market, which is why I have introduced the Medicare You Can Opt Into Act."

BACKGROUND

New Hampshire consumers can window-shop for 2018 coverage starting today at HealthCare.gov.

For a comprehensive summary of the Trump Administration's sabotage of the Affordable Care Act, click here (https://www.cbpp.org/sabotage-watch-tracking-efforts-to-undermine-the-aca).

In April, Shea-Porter introduced H.R.2065, the Medicare You Can Opt Into Act of 2017, a bill that would allow Americans to buy Medicare coverage by creating a public option to compete alongside private insurers.