A few months ago, before the initial launch of ObamaCare, I noted a preliminary report from the Manhattan Institute that stated New Mexico would face some of the largest rate increases in the nation under the ObamaCare health law.
Now that ObamaCare has launched with all the buoyancy of a lead balloon, we have more details on actual rate increases. According to the latest from Manhattan Institute, New Mexico’s rate hikes will be second-greatest in the nation, second only to Nevada (see chart below). Read an article on the study from Forbes:
Supporters of the law will claim the report is biased against ObamaCare, but the reality is that the reports find that rates under the law will drop in a few states, including Colorado.
HT: Jack McHugh
It is worth noting that the state-based New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange (NM HIX) created by Governor Martinez is at present only responsible for health insurance for the SHOP, Small business Health Options Program. The rate changes for small business here have been neutral to a maximum of 5% increase. Washington, not NM HIX, is responsible for the 142% rate increase that individual New Mexicans will face … if they can ever sign up for insurance on healthcare.gov. Also, the security measures we have here on the HIX website, http://www.bewellnm.com, for personal information are vastly superior to the porous system at healthcare.gov.
For full disclosure, the author – Deane Waldman, is a member of the Board of Directors of the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange and also is Adjunct Scholar (Healthcare) for the Rio Grande Foundation.