Five Factors that can Affect Your Premium
Did you know there are five factors that can affect how much your health plan’s monthly premium under the health care law? However, individual states can limit how much these factors come into play.
These five factors are:
- Age: Premiums can be up to 3 times higher for older people than for younger people.
- Location: Where you live has a big effect on your premiums. Differences in competition, state and local rules, and cost of living are the reasons why.
- Tobacco use: Insurers can charge tobacco users up to 50% more than those who don’t use tobacco.
- Individual vs. family enrollment: Insurers can charge more for a plan that also covers a spouse and/or dependents.
- Plan category: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Catastrophic. The categories are based on how you and the plan share costs. Bronze plans usually have lower monthly premiums and higher out-of-pocket costs when you get care. Platinum plans usually have the highest premiums and lowest out-of-pocket costs.
In addition, insurance companies may offer more benefits, which could also affect costs. Furthermore, insurance companies can not charge women and men different prices for the same plan, nor can they take your current medical history or health into account when, otherwise known as pre-existing conditions.
