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The Health Insurance Exchange Is Not Working Essay

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The health insurance exchange is not working. The premiums of the insurance plans offered on Covered California have increased by 25% leaving me with no affordable options. When the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was first implemented, there were months of advertisements about the advantages of Covered California, California’s state run health insurance exchange. The health insurance exchange is a purchasing pool that was supposed to increase access to affordable health insurance and allow buyers like me to compare the benefits and prices of plans. However, many insurance companies are pulling out of the exchange because they are losing money, and in many states, purchasers can only choose from one or two insurance companies on the individual health insurance marketplace (“Number of Issuers Participating in the Individual Health Insurance Marketplaces”). The dwindling amount of insurers taking part in the exchange is causing a decrease in competition and contributing to rising premium costs. As a purchaser on the insurance exchange, I am no longer able to afford my insurance plan that I have bought on Covered California and I am demanding a change. I demand the addition of a public option. With the ACA, I finally thought I would be able to purchase affordable health insurance. I do not receive health insurance from my job because I am self-employed, and I do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid. Buying insurance on Covered California is my only option for

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