Americans living in rural areas and small towns are facing higher premiums than their neighbors living in and around cities, a cost analysis by the New York Times says.
Too few insurance companies are participating in places with sparse populations.
The analysis suggests that the ambitions of the Affordable Care Act to increase competition have unfolded unevenly, at least in the early going, and have not addressed many of the factors that contribute to high prices, reported the Times.
That lack of competition goes well beyond the Sunshine State.
Nearly 60 percent of all counties in the 34 states with federally run health exchanges have one or two insurance carriers, according to data provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
That includes all of North Florida and most of the south-central part of the state, as well as all of North Carolina, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Maine, Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, Kansas, Wyoming and Alaska.
Florida Watchdog contacted the state Office of Insurance Regulation for more information but was referred to the agencys rate summary for all 27 health insurance companies and health organizations participating in Floridas exchange.
Though prices are mostly higher across the board, OIRs list of insurance providers does not include areas of coverage.
Obamacare subsidies, designed to reduce premium costs, will still apply to people who qualify no matter where they live. But for rural Americans, theres a bit of a catch, said Josh Archambault, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Government Accountability.
Premiums are higher in rural settings, along with the subsidies that are paired with them, said Archambault. However, Obamacare assumes life is static, so even a minor life event, like a small raise or promotion, can result in a high tax bill next year. If a rural farmer mis-estimates their income, they could also end up with a tax bill.
Rural Americans are finding out that the promises of Obamacares exchanges have skipped over their communities.
Contact William Patrick at wpatrick@watchdog.org or follow Florida Watchdog on Twitter at @watchdogfla
