Open enrollment opened Monday, for those who purchase health insurance on the Federal Marketplace. As KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro reports the market for healthcare in Missouri is competitive.

Unlike previous years, all 114 counties in Missouri have at least one healthcare provider offering coverage. In South Central and Southwest Missouri, according to the 2022 Individual Health Insurance Market Map, Lawrence, Barry, Greene, Christian, Stone, Taney, and Webster counties all have six carriers offering healthcare coverage. Meanwhile, Vernon, Jasper, Newton, and McDonald have three providers and Barton county has one.

This year three insurers significantly increased the number of counties they operate in, while a fourth, Aetna, has re-entered the individual market in Missouri. Health carriers filed rates for 2022 facing a continuation of unusual circumstances due to COVID-19. The final rates for individual plans reflect this unpredictability, with rate changes ranging from an average decrease of 6.86% to an average increase of 15.46%. Open enrollment is open now until January 15, 2022. To enroll visit insurance.mo.gov, click on consumers, and scroll down to health. For 89 9 KRPS, I’m Fred Fletcher-Fierro