Illinoisans who buy insurance on the health care law's marketplace face steep price increases for next year.
That's been predicted for some time. Now it's official. The Illinois Department of Insurance published an analysis of 2017 health plans Friday based on final price increases approved by state and federal regulators.
Statewide, the average rate increase for the lowest cost "silver" plan is 45 percent. (Silver is a label of a middle-tier plan that's been a popular choice.)
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, with more than 350,000 marketplace customers, is increasing its individual plan rates by 51 percent overall.
Insurers are making up for unanticipated medical and drug costs and payments from the federal government they didn't receive.
Open enrollment for HealthCare.gov starts Nov. 1 and ends Jan. 31.
