9 Pre-existing expense.

• Position: STATELINE - High-risk insurance plans - Brief article

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

High-risk insurance plans offered under the Affordable Care Act for people with preexisting conditions have attracted far fewer participants than expected--50,000 instead of 375,000--according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Claims costs for each patient are averaging $29,000--more than twice the $13,000 average for those enrolled in traditional state high-risk pools. Why? The report suggests that, since patients in the new program have not had health coverage for at least six months, they tend to have critical needs for immediate, expensive treatments. The state plans, previously established in all but 15 states...