Health insurers in Rhode Island and New York propose double‑digit premium hikes

Rhode Island insurers have filed 2026 rate requests that would raise commercial health‑insurance premiums by 7.7% to 30.4%, depending on the plan type. UnitedHealthcare’s proposal for its large‑employer market seeks a 34.9% increase – the first time an insurer has asked for more than a 30% hike in a single year. State Health Insurance Commissioner Cory King called the trend of double‑digit increases “unsustainable,” noting rising medical‑treatment costs and the impact of new drugs such as GLP‑1 weight‑loss medications.

In New York, the state’s health‑insurance marketplace is proposing an average 21% premium increase for individual plans beginning in 2027. The public comment period runs through July 17, 2026, and the feedback will be reviewed before final rates are set in September. The proposal could affect roughly 1.2 million New Yorkers enrolled in marketplace plans, underscoring concerns that steep premium growth may reduce coverage affordability.