Market Rating Reforms
The Affordable Care Act limits the factors that can be used to charge consumers greater health insurance premiums. For insurance coverage effective January 1, 2014, health insurance issuers in the individual and small group markets are allowed to vary premiums based on age (within a 3:1 ratio for adults), tobacco use (within a 1.5:1 ratio and subject to wellness program requirements in the small group market), family size, and geography.
Under the law, states can choose to enact stronger consumer protections than these minimum standards. In addition, starting in 2017, states have the option of allowing large employers to purchase coverage through the Exchanges. For states that choose this option, these rating rules also would apply to all large group health insurance coverage. These requirements standardize how health insurance issuers can price products, bringing a new level of transparency and fairness to premium pricing.
Geographic Rating Areas
The Market Rules and Rate Review Final Rule (45 CFR Part 147) provides that each state will have a set number of geographic rating areas that all issuers in the state must uniformly use as part of their rate setting. This page contains information on the specific geographic rating areas being used by each state.
Other State Specific Rating Variations
The Market Rules and Rate Review Final Rule (45 CFR Part 147) provides that each state will have age rating ratios of 3:1 using a federally established age curve, tobacco rating ratios of no more than 1.5:1 and per member rating unless a state requests ratios less than the standard, is a community rating state with uniform family tiers, or allows for averaging of enrollee premiums in the small group market. This page contains information on the specific rating variations used by states
Updates
- March 5, 2020 Information Related to COVID–19 Individual and Small Group Market Insurance Coverage
- March 12, 2020 FAQs on Essential Health Benefits Coverage and the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
- March 18, 2020 FAQs on Catastrophic Plan Coverage and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- March 24, 2020 FAQs on Availability and Usage of Telehealth Services through Private Health Insurance Coverage in Response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- March 24, 2020 Payment and Grace Period Flexibilities Associated with the COVID-19 National Emergency
- March 24, 2020 FAQs on Prescription Drugs and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for Issuers Offering Health Insurance Coverage in the Individual and Small Group Markets
- April 11, 2020 FAQs about Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Implementation
*This document was updated on April 15, 2020, to correct an error in footnote 10 regarding the current end date of the public health emergency related to COVID 19. - April 13, 2020 Postponement of 2019 Benefit Year HHS-operated Risk Adjustment Data Validation (HHS-RADV)