More than half of the states have disclosed how much higher their health care premiums could be next year under the Affordable Care Act, but Illinois isn't expected to do so for more than a month.
Consumer advocates are frustrated because Illinois residents won't get their first look at proposed 2017 premiums until Aug. 1, about a month before the state Department of Insurance has to complete its review of rate information.
Although insurance companies were required to submit rate plans for Illinois in April, the state doesn't require the proposals to be made public upon filing. The director of the Illinois Department of Insurance considers health plan filings confidential and exempt from Freedom of Information requests.
