Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is urging state regulators to reject steep health insurance premium increases proposed by two major providers.
On Wednesday, Centene Corporation and Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield filed plans to raise premium rates in Arkansas by as much as 54% and 25.5%, respectively. In response, Sanders issued a statement condemning the proposals and calling on the state Insurance Commissioner to block them.
“Arkansans are tired of getting outrageous bills from multi-billion-dollar insurance companies, and my administration will not allow them to take advantage of our people. Nothing justifies year-over-year premium increases of this scale it’s wrong and prohibited under Arkansas law,” Sanders said.
She continued, “Arkansas’ Insurance Commissioner is required to disapprove of proposed rate increases if they are excessive or discriminatory, and these are both. I’m calling on my Commissioner to follow the law, reject these insane rate increases, and protect Arkansans.”
In response to the governor’s remarks, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield released a statement Wednesday evening, saying their proposed rate increase is in line with national trends.
“Based on individual market filings nationally, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s request is consistent with what other insurers are requesting,” the company said.
“We want to assure Arkansans that we don’t take proposed rate increases lightly. As an Arkansas-based, not-for-profit mutual insurance company, we agree that the cost of healthcare is becoming unaffordable for families and businesses. Health insurance costs, however, are driven by the cost and use of healthcare services. In the last several years, we have seen substantial increases in the cost of hospitalizations, outpatient surgeries, prescription drugs, and overall utilization.”
The proposed rate changes are currently under review. If approved, they could impact premiums for thousands of policyholders across the state starting in 2026.
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