2027 Rate Changes - District of Columbia: +9.9% indy market; +11.5% sm. group (FINAL)

Originally posted 6/11/26

via the DC Dept. of Insurance, Securities & Banking:

DC Announces 2027 Proposed Health Insurance Rates

(Washington, DC) – The DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) has received 181 proposed health insurance plan rates for annual review in advance of open enrollment for plan year 2027. The proposed rates were submitted for DC Health Link, the District’s health insurance marketplace, from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Kaiser Permanente, and UnitedHealthcare.

The proposed rates apply to individuals, families and small businesses for the 2027 plan year. The total number of plans submitted decreased from 194 for the 2026 plan year to 181 for the 2027 plan year. Small group plans decreased from 167 to 157, while individual plans decreased from 27 to 24.

“Every year, DISB conducts a rigorous, data driven review to ensure that premiums in the District are justified, transparent and aligned with the needs of our residents,” said DISB Commissioner Karima Woods. “As we evaluate the 2027 filings, our priority remains clear: protecting consumers, promoting affordability, and upholding the Bowser Administration’s commitment to a fair and competitive insurance market.”

Proposed 2027 Rate Changes

In the individual market:

• CareFirst proposed an average increase of 8.6% for HMO plans and 9.6% for PPO/insurance plans.
• Kaiser Permanente proposed an average increase of 10%.

In the small group market:

• CareFirst filed average increases of 9.8% for HMO plans and 4.5% for PPO/insurance plans.
• Kaiser Permanente proposed an average increase of 8%.
• UnitedHealthcare proposed average increases of 25% for its two HMO products and for its PPO/insurance plan.

DISB is now conducting its comprehensive review of the proposed rates and will issue final approved rates following a public hearing in September.

Information on the proposed individual and small group rates is available here.

For additional information on the District’s Health Rate Review Process, visit here.

The public may submit comments on the proposed rates by emailing HealthRate.Comments@dc.gov.

One thing worth noting: The official filings only list 14,217 total individual market enrollees in DC as of spring 2026, but according to the May 2026 DC Health Benefit Exchange slide deck, as of May 1st they had 15,672 effectuated enrollees, which suggests an enrollment increase. It's also important to note that DC doesn't have off-exchange individual market enrollment; it's all done via the DC Health Benefit Exchange.

UPDATE 9/24/26: The DC Dept. of Insurance, Securities & Banking has posted the final, approved 2027 rate filings for both the individual and small group markets. While there have been some significant changes to some filings, overall not much has changed (indy plans are going up 9.9% instead of 9.5%; small group plans are goin gup 11.5% instead of 10.4%):

The DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) announced today the approved 2027 health insurance rates for individual and small business plans. Following a comprehensive actuarial analysis and intensive review process, the finalized rates reflect an average increase of 9.9% for individual plans and 11.5% for small group plans. While the Department was able to make rate adjustments, affordability challenges persist.

In alignment with its consumer protection mission, DISB remains deeply committed to balancing premium affordability with the shifting realities of medical care costs impacting District residents and small businesses. Healthcare costs continue to escalate due to soaring pharmaceutical prices—primarily driven by specialty drugs—coupled with rising provider reimbursements and increased service utilization. The issues faced in Washington, DC are not unique to the District, and the rate changes in DC are similar to, or less than, what other states are experiencing. Moving forward, DISB continues to actively pursue meaningful, long-term strategies to address these underlying cost drivers within the District's marketplace.

“Thanks to Mayor Bowser’s leadership, DISB is laser-focused on protecting District consumers from unfair pricing and unsupported cost projections,” said DISB Commissioner Karima Woods. “We rigorously reviewed 181 health plans this year to ensure they meet the District’s high standards—because every resident deserves access to affordable, equitable and transparent health insurance.”

The Department evaluated rate filings from major carriers including CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Kaiser Permanente, and UnitedHealthcare. The final rate approvals were determined following a robust public hearing on August 25, 2026, where actuaries presented detailed findings and DC residents shared personal testimonies regarding their coverage concerns. Feedback from insurers, consumer advocates, nonprofit organizations and the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority heavily informed the final decision.

Open enrollment for individuals and families through DC Health Link begins November 1, 2026, and runs through January 31, 2027. Residents can visit DC Health Link or call (855) 532-5465 for enrollment assistance.