AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine Superintendent of Insurance Mila Kofman this week ruled on a proposed increase in monthly health insurance premiums by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Maine, granting the Indiana-based company an average 14 percent increase for its nongroup individual policies. That’s lower than the 23 percent increase Anthem had requested for the period of July 1, 2010, to June 31, 2011.
An Anthem spokesman said Friday that the company, which could appeal the decision in court, is still reviewing the superintendent's findings.
The smaller increase will do little to relieve Mainers struggling to afford nongroup coverage. Under the 14 percent increase approved this week, for example, a single, 35-year-old adult with no children and a $2,250 annual deductible could pay as much as $509 a month for basic health care coverage. A married couple with two children could pay almost $1,300 a month for the same coverage plan.
The new rates will take effect Oct. 1 and be modified to reflect Anthem’s originally requested start date of July 1. About 11,000 Mainers will be affected by the rate increase.
Click for the rest of this story by Meg Haskell in the Bangor Daily News.
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