Half of Americans without insurance will be able to get cover for $100 a month, government says

Premiums on plans offered on the new health insurance exchanges, a key element of the Affordable Care Act, will be around 16% lower than expected, a report from the US Department of Health and Human Services has said.

The exchanges are designed to serve as online marketplaces where individuals and families can compare prices for private health plans. The exchanges open for business on 1 October for consumers looking for 2014 coverage.

The department’s report found that the average premium for the second lowest “silver” plan will be $328 (£204; €243) a month, 16% less than the $392 predicted from estimates by the Congressional Budget Office.1 But some plans were available for just $129 a month for some people.

The findings echo those reported in a study of 18 exchanges by the non-partisan Kaiser Family Foundation published at the beginning of September.2

President Barack Obama touted the cost of insurance on the new exchanges at a healthcare forum he held with former president Bill Clinton in New York on 24 September.

“In many states across the country, …