Health insurance rates to jump 17%

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon Foundation,

Medical insurance premiums in Oregon are likely to jump an average of 17 percent next year if insurers have their way, and purchasers of individual and small group health plans will have fewer options as well, according to The Willamette Week. Oregon regulators recently released data showing proposed rate increases that would leave the cheapest plans costing more than $500 a month. Willamette Week’s review showed premiums the past five years have soared, with the cheapest individual plan in Portland increasing from $425 a month in 2021 to $518 a month this year. If approved, Kaiser individual premiums in 2027 would be $581 a month. Premiums for small group plans in Portland have increased from $321 to $450 a month and, in 2027, may be $509. And state officials say the Oregon Reinsurance Program already keeps rates 10 percent lower than they would be without the market stabilization program that helps insurers pay expensive claims.

In addition, after Congress eliminated subsidies for health plans sold through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, many people have simply abandoned insurance coverage, with the number enrolled in Oregon shrinking from 303,000 in 2025 to 274,000 this year.