State lowers cap on some patient health care cost increases
Some
In 2027, health insurance companies must limit patient cost-sharing increases to 3.6% for the merged market where many individuals and smaller employers get insurance, Gov.
The administration highlighted
"Health care cost pressures are front and center, and this action protects families at a time when they need our assistance more than ever," Insurance Commissioner
Caljouw last week said insurance had become "increasingly out of reach and unsustainable" across the market.
A 2025 healthcare market oversight law strengthened Caljouw's authority to monitor affordability within the merged market and gauge whether proposed rates are "excessive." Caljouw flexed that affordability lever last year when the DOI limited cost-sharing growth to 4.8%.
The latest restriction is expected to save patients an average of
"We know that families across
"I'm not feeling the love with this," Hurst told the News Service. "It's not going to cut the cost of health insurance for a small employer and their workforce in
He added: "The only way this works would be to also limit premium increases at the same level, hospital reimbursements at the same level, prescription drug prices at the same level, and healthcare union contract increases at the same 3.6% increase level."
Noting some of his association's members are paying
"I think they understand that something is incredibly wrong, but they are playing at the margins," Hurst said.
The Massachusetts Health Connector Board in February decided to freeze 2027 deductible limits as part of their role in overseeing the details of insurance plans that meet minimum state standards. The limits are
Insurance regulators last week finalized regulations to scrap prior authorization requirements across a bevy of routine services, which are also expected to yield cost savings. Patients and providers are expected to benefit from the changes by the end of the year, Caljouw said.
"While efforts to limit deductibles and copays may provide short-term relief at the point of service, they do nothing to address the root causes of rising health care spending," Pellegrini said in a statement Monday. "In fact, they risk exacerbating the problem by pushing more costs onto individuals and small businesses through higher premiums."
Citing the pressure of rising costs, Hurst noted that a
"The results reflect
Point32Health reported an operating income of
"While we are optimistic for the remainder of the year, we recognize that medical and pharmaceutical cost trends remain volatile and will continue to present challenges," Point32Health Chief Financial Officer



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