Colorado health insurers want hikes for individual plans

Some health insurers are asking for double-digit rate increases for individual plans in Colorado next year while some are changing their coverage or not offering any insurance to those who buy their own policies.

The Division of Insurance announced the proposed rate hikes Monday and said that about 92,000 people would have to find new coverage.

At the high end, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Rocky Mountain HMO, Colorado Choice and the Golden Rule proposed rates hikes ranging from 26.8 percent to 40.6 percent. Insurers requested much smaller increases and some decreases for small group plans.

UnitedHealthcare and Humana Insurance won’t offer individual plans and Rocky Mountain Health Plans will only offer them in Mesa County.

The insurance companies must justify the increases to state regulators before they can take effect.