A study by the nation's leading group of financial risk analysts says medical claims costs could jump an average 81 percent for individual policy holders in Ohio under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.
The report released Tuesday by the Society of Actuaries said the increase will be in large part because sicker people will join the individual insurance pool. It does not project medical claim costs for employer plans, which cover most workers.
The cost of medical claims is the biggest driver of health insurance premiums.
Nationally, claims costs are expected to rise an average 32 percent per person in the individual health insurance market by 2017.
Ohio's insurance director, Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor, says the estimates are in line with findings a consulting firm prepared for the state.