Double-digit premium hikes unlikely to affect most #Obamacare shoppers

Modern Healthcare: Health insurance premiums for the benchmark exchange plans are set to rise 25% on average in 2017—an eye-popping figure that has fueled another wave of finger-pointing among Republicans seeking to dismantle the healthcare law.

But policy experts say the projected double-digit hikes are unlikely to affect the majority of people who enroll in health plans through the federal exchange.

The fourth open enrollment kicks off Nov. 1 and will run for three months. The latest HHS report released this week shows the average benchmark plan premium in 2017 will be $302, compared with $242 in 2016. HHS uses the second-lowest cost silver premium for a 27-year-old before tax credits as its benchmark. It's the most popular plan on the exchanges and the one used to calculate premium subsidies.

Read article