Rosendale Says he Forced Health Insurers to Lower Their Rates

Montana’s outgoing State Auditor and Insurance Commissioner Matt Rosendale reported on Monday that he has convinced two of the three health insurance companies on the Obamacare exchange to lower their rates.

The new rates for the 2021 health insurance term have been released.

“For next year, we have just completed the review and the submittals,” said Rosendale. “I can tell everybody that two of Montana's three health insurance companies providing individual market plans have dropped their proposed premium increases, after I told them their rate increases were just unacceptable.”

Rosendale said since healthcare has been underutilized since the pandemic began, that insurance rates should not have been raised.

I can tell everybody that two of Montana's three health insurance companies providing individual market plans have dropped their proposed premium increases, after I told them their rate increases were just unacceptable.

“When we've got an under utilization by the insurance companies of healthcare, I invited each firm into the office individually and told them at first companies are seeing profit increases in the Obamacare markets,” he said. “So, when we're seeing such an under utilization of elective healthcare during the COVID 19 pandemic, and hospitals have had to furlough hundreds of employees that the insurance companies needed to do better.”

Rosendale named the two companies that have lowered their prospective rates.

“Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana and the Montana Health Co-op have lowered their rate changes to zero percent,” he said. “Now, Blue Cross Blue Shield will not have any increases, and the Co-op will have a .68% increase. We're talking of just about a half of a percent of an increase for the 2021 insurance plans.”

Open enrollment for 2021 health insurance begins in November of this year, which is when Montanans will be able to shop for plans and see how rate changes affect them on an individual basis.

Rosendale is leaving the office to be the Republican nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives.