Idahoans who buy their health insurance through the state-based health exchange will have more options but face higher costs while shopping for coverage for 2016.
The third year of sign-ups for coverage through yourhealthidaho.org begins Sunday. That means people have until Dec. 15 to sign up for insurance — or switch policies — to ensure coverage will begin on New Year's Day.
Pat Kelly, executive director of Your Health Idaho, says the exchange will offer more than 200 plans.
However, the average costs of those plans have gone up. Blue Cross of Idaho Health Service will have plans 23 percent higher than in 2015. Meanwhile, Montana Health Cooperative — an insurance provider based in Montana that also offers plans for Idaho residents — will have a 26 percent rate increase.