Average Benchmark Plan Premium Slightly Drops, Insurer Participation Rises in 2021
The national average premium for the second-lowest-cost silver plan, or benchmark plan, sold through the Affordable Care Act exchanges is $443 per month for a 40-year-old nonsmoker in 2021, a 1.7% drop compared to 2020, according to a recent analysis by Urban Institute. Average state benchmark premiums range from $292 in Minnesota to $782 in Wyoming. The study also suggested that premium variation was strongly associated with the number of insurers participating in a region. The benchmark premium in a rating region with only one insurer was $148 higher per month than the premium in regions with five or more insurers.
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