17 Oct 2013 Fun With ObamaCare Exchanges: Connecticut Version

I managed to create an account at the Connecticut ObamaCare exchange, Access Health CT.  Unfortunately I had to give my exact age, so I couldn’t compare policies for a 27-year-old as I usually do.  So, let’s just say we’ll be comparing policies for a 43-year-old.

Here are two cheapest Bronze policies on the Connecticut Exchange for a 43-year-old living at zip code 06106 (Hartford):

The full results of the exchange search are here and here.  Below is a table comparing the cheapest Bronze policy of $246.40 to those on ehealthinsurance.com for a 43-year-old.  It compares both a 43-year-old making $45,000, which is too much income to qualify for a subsidy, and one making $33,000, which qualifies one for a subsidy of just under $100 a month.

In total there are 68 policies cheaper for a 43-year-old in Hartford, Connecticut on ehealthinsurance.com than the cheapest policy on the Connecticut exchange.  And even if one qualifies for about a $100 subsidy, there are still 16 policies that are cheaper.  (Full ehealthinsurance.com results here for male and here for female.)

Also note that there are only 16 plans available on the Connecticut exchange.  There are 53 plans for both men and women to choose from on ehealthinsurance.com.  If the exchanges are supposed to expand choice, someone forgot to tell the Nutmeg State,

Finally, the two best selling plans for men on ehealthinsurance.com for a 43-year-old in Hartford were $172 and $108 per month.  Moving from those to the cheapest Bronze plan results in increases of 43% and 128%, respectively.  For women, the two best sellers were $238 and $150 per month.  The Bronze plan represents a 3% increase compared to the first one and a 59% increase compared to the second.  The people who own three of those four policies and are not eligible for a subsidy will experience rate shock.