Loosening health insurance rules in ME produces mixed results

Proponents promised lower rates for all Maine residents, with increased competition among insurers. But six months after the state's rules took effect, no new insurers have entered the state—and health insurance premiums have gone up for the vast majority of small businesses. The results have been mixed for individuals: Everyone under 40 saw rate cuts, while most people over 55 received increases, some as high as 18 percent, according to an analysis of state data released Tuesday by advocacy group Consumers for Affordable Health Care, which opposed the law changes. Overall, a little more than half of individuals saw their rates rise, albeit by a relatively low 1.7 percent average.