PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Some Maine residents say a proposed increase in health care insurance premiums by health insurer Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield would be too great a burden for them.
Maine Insurance Superintendent Mila Kofman is listening to people across Maine before ruling on Anthem’s request for an average 10 percent rate increases for individual health coverage. One such hearing was Tuesday in Portland.
Susan Gold says she and her husband pay $900 a month on premiums and each has a $3,000 deductible. She says there’s no money left to buy new equipment that could attract more customers for their web design business in Portland and Biddeford.
Anthem spokesman Christopher Dugan tells the Portland Press Herald the request reflects rising health care costs and the volatile individual market.
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Information from: Portland Press Herald, http://preprod.pressherald.com
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