Health care costs up again in Massachusetts, but not by much

BOSTON (WWLP) - Massachusetts health insurance rates are increasing, but the increase is at lower rates than usual, and Governor Patrick says it reflects state efforts to reign-in health care costs.

Base rates for Massachusetts health insurance are going up at an average of 1.2%. To give you perspective, in 2010, rate increases averaged between 8% and 9%.

Small-group insurance rates are released quarterly, and according to the Massachusetts Division of Insurance , this is the second quarter in a row that the base rate increase averaged less than 2%. Some insurance companies like Tufts and Fallon even filed decreases in their rates.

Governor Deval Patrick said his administration has been working with insurance carriers to negotiate lower rates.

“The focus that we have, in partnership with the industry, brought to the importance of containing health care costs, more and more providers moving to accountable care organizations, medical homes,” Patrick said.

The governor added that health care cost containment remains an urgent matter in Massachusetts.

Patrick said it was “terrific” that the Senate plans to debate health care payment reform in mid-May, more than a year after he filed a bill to address skyrocketing health care costs.