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Pa. health care coverage among cheapest in U.S., NJ most expensive

Pennsylvania residents who plan on buying health insurance through the new online marketplaces next week will pay below the national average, while New Jersey’s exchange will cost well above the average, according to federal government data released Wednesday.

Pennsylvania residents who plan on buying health insurance through the new online marketplaces next week will pay below the national average, while New Jersey's exchange will cost well above the average, according to federal government data released Wednesday.

Pennsylvania has the 10th-lowest insurance prices out of the 47 states that had data available, while insurance prices in New Jersey are among the most expensive in the country for residents without subsidies.

This new report, released by the Department of Health and Human Services, comes in less than a week before the new federally run online marketplaces open, an important part of President Barack Obama's 2010 Health Reform Law. Individuals seeking coverage will be able to sign up for insurance beginning Oct. 1, and the benefits will start on Jan. 1.

Individuals and families will be able to choose from four plans – bronze, silver, gold and platinum – depending on the coverage they want, as well as catastrophic plans for young adults and those without affordable options.

The state average in Pennsylvania for a mid-range plan is $286 per month, not including out-of-pocket costs or tax credits, while it's $385 per month in New Jersey. The national average is $328.

A family of four in Pennsylvania with an income of $50,000 would have to pay a monthly premium of $675 under the silver plan before tax credit. In New Jersey, a family would have to pay $943 under the same plan, which is $169 above the national average.

Despite New Jersey's high prices, the health reform plans in general are lower than expected.

"Across the board, six in 10 uninsured Americans will be able to find coverage for less than $100 per month," Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), said during a news conference.

Individuals can get estimates about eligibility and how much they can spend on insurance by using a subsidy calculator developed by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.