2026 Finalized Rate Increases
MA Division of Insurance finalized rates July 2025 — saved consumers $54M vs. proposed rates
⚠️ DOI Finalized Increases: 7.1% – 12.2%
2 carriers REJECTED as excessive — BCBS & WellSense
Original proposals averaged 13.4% across all carriers · DOI negotiated savings of $54M · GLP-1 drug costs a key driver
2026 Finalized Rate Increases by Carrier
DOI approved (green/amber) vs. rejected (red)
Proposed vs. Approved Rates
DOI negotiated reductions of 1–3.3 percentage points
| Carrier | Proposed | Approved | Status | Members |
|---|
| Harvard Pilgrim | 14.8% | 12.2% | Approved (highest) | ~421K combined |
| Tufts Health Plans | 13.2% | 11.1% | Approved | 187K+ |
| Health New England | 10.4% | 9.4% | Approved | — |
| UnitedHealthcare | 12.3% | ~10.5% | Approved | — |
| Mass General Brigham | — | ~9% | Approved | — |
| Fallon Community | 9.9% | 7.1% | Approved (lowest) | 5.6% of market |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | 12.9% | REJECTED | Excessive | 166K |
| WellSense Health Plan | 16.2% | REJECTED | Excessive | 133K |
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Key drivers of 2026 rate hikes: GLP-1 weight-loss drugs (BCBS spent $300M+ on 5 drugs in 2024 alone), rising behavioral health utilization, aging population, and expiring ACA enhanced subsidies. BCBS announced it will stop covering GLP-1s for weight loss in 2026, which reduced its rate request by 3%.
⚠️
For 5 of 6 approved carriers, the 2026 hike is steeper than the 2025 increase. Original proposals averaged 13.4% — nearly 4× the state's health care cost growth benchmark. DOI's new affordability standard (signed into law Jan 2025) gave regulators expanded authority to reject excessive rates.