Obamacare Premiums To Rise Significantly In 2017

NPR

Published October 25, 2016 at 1:06 PM EDT

In this Oct. 6, 2015, file photo, the HealthCare.gov website, where people can buy health insurance, is displayed on a laptop screen in Washington, D.C. About 9 in 10 Americans now have health insurance, more than at any time in history. "Obamacare" remains divisive, and premiums for next year are rising sharply in many communities. (Andrew Harnik, File/AP)

Obamacare premiums are going up next year, the administration said Monday. People who buy health insurance through federal and state exchanges should expect to pay, on average, 22 percent more for a mid-level plan in 2017 than they did in 2016.

A number of insurers have also dropped out of the exchanges, meaning there will be fewer options for people to choose from in many states, too.

Here & Now‘s Robin Young talks with Sarah Kliff, who covers health policy for Vox, about what that means for consumers and for the Affordable Care Act itself.

Guest

Sarah Kliff, senior editor and health care writer for Vox. She tweets at @sarahkliff.