The Affordable Care Act just got less affordable for millions of Americans who will see their healthcare insurance premiums increase next year.
The Department of Health and Human Services warned of Obamacare rate hikes in many existing policies in a report Thursday, but it also urged consumers to shop around for lower-priced plans on federal healthcare exchanges.
Many customers who pay about $100 a month in taxpayer-subsidized premiums could still find that price if they drop their current plan and search for coverage on a healthcare market that is getting more competitive,
said Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell.
"In today's marketplace, [insurers] are competing for business," she said in a statement. "Returning customers may find an even better deal if they shop and save."
Consumers keeping the most popular plan will face at least a 5 percent rate hike in the 35 states where the federal government runs the health insurance exchanges, the department said.
However, the report added that about 70 percent of insurance customers enrolled in an Obamacare program could find lower-cost policies by shopping around on HealthCare.gov.
About 90 percent of consumers will have a choice of three or more insurance companies offering multiple plans, the report said.
Regardless of the assurances of affordability, Obamacare remains unpopular among a majority of Americans. The program is still facing multiple lawsuits.
A Rassmussen poll Monday found that 52 percent of Americans want the next Republican Congress to fix all of the flaws in the law but not repleal it outright. Earlier polls found a high of 53 percent opposing Obamacare.
The debate over Obamacare on social media continues unabated.
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