The petition comes as a response to insurance companies requesting rate increases ranging from 17% to 40% for Pennie<\/a> – the state’s marketplace for individuals to purchase healthcare coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – and small business owners.<\/p>\n
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These potential rate increases prompted members of the public to band together and make their voices heard during the insurance department\u2019s public comment period, which runs through Aug. 22.\u00a0<\/p>\n “There’s solidarity in an action like this, and it gives people a sense that they’re not alone,” said Kristin Volchansky, the advocacy director for Action Together NEFA. “I think it’s also vitally important because I wouldn’t have known until I was involved in this work that you can comment on insurance rate increases that are submitted to the state insurance department.\u201d<\/p>\n However, while the coalition was able to deliver their petition, the PID says that a full freeze on insurance costs is not currently possible under the law. With the Insurance Department saying in a statement:<\/p>\n “PID is carefully examining each company\u2019s proposal and will reject any request that is excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory. A proposal to freeze all health insurance rate increases, while well intentioned, can\u2019t be done legally under current law\/regulation. PID must approve rates that are actuarily justified and nondiscriminatory.\u201d<\/p>\n While a full freeze on health insurance rates is not possible, members of the coalition say that they felt their voices were heard.<\/p>\n “We wanted the Insurance Commission to hear us, and they did. They came down, they talked to us, and hopefully in the future, we’ll have more meetings with them for explanation to how the insurance industry works,” Gayle Alleman, a registered nurse, said.<\/p>\n The healthcare coalition has launched an online tool for people to easily share their stories and submit comments at FreezePAHealthCosts.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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