The average monthly cost for a 2015 mid-tier health insurance plan in the 35 states that are part of Healthcare.gov rose about 2 percent to $222 for a 27-year-old, the U.S. government said on Thursday.
The figure represents the average premium for the second-lowest-cost silver plan, which is the benchmark plan used to set subsidy levels, the Department of Health and Human Services said.
The report from its Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation covered the costs of plans sold on the website run by the federal government and created under the national health care reform law. The report did not include states that operate their exchanges, such as California or New York.
In Maine, one of the 35 states relying on Healthcare.gov, monthly premiums for the benchmark silver plan largely held steady, with a 2 percent drop on average before tax credits that help eligible consumers to afford their coverage.
A family of four earning $60,000 in Maine will spend an average of $407 a month for coverage in 2015, with tax credits, according to the report.
In 2014, 90 percent of the more than 40,000 Maine consumers who selected a Healthcare.gov plan qualified for financial assistance.
This year, Maine consumers have more choice in their coverage, according to the report. Mainers can select from three health insurers for 2015 coverage, up from two in 2014, and an average of 25 health plans in their county, an increase from 17.
Enrollment for individual coverage opened on Nov. 15 and closes Feb. 15. So far, more than 350,000 new customers have selected plans for 2015.
Last year, HHS also analyzed data for 48 states. It said that the average monthly cost, weighted for age distribution, was $328 for benchmark 2014 plans. It did not provide a comparable figure in the 2015 report.