Sticker price for Obamacare: $300/month premiums for young to middle-aged adults

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FILE - This Oct. 11, 2012 file photo shows a basket of medical supplies await storage in Brookhaven, Miss. The No. 1 question about President Barack Obama’s health care law is whether consumers will be able to afford the coverage. Now the answer is coming in: The biggest study yet of premiums posted publicly by states finds that the sticker price will average about 70 a month if you’re a 21-year-old buying a mid-range policy. That’s before government tax credits that will act like a discount for most people, bringing down the cost based on their income. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

WASHINGTON – It’s the No. 1 question about President Barack Obama’s health care law: Will consumers be able to afford the coverage?

Now the answer is coming in.

The biggest study yet of premiums posted by states finds that the sticker price for a 21-year-old buying a mid-range policy will average about $270 a month. A copy of the study was provided to The Associated Press.

That’s before government tax credits that act like a discount for most people, depending on their income.

List-price premiums for a 40-year-old will average close to $330, the study found. They’re nearly double that for a 60-year-old, $615 a month.

The study by the private data analysis firm Avalere Health points to a competitive market emerging, said lead author Caroline Pearson, with big price differences among age groups, states and even within states.

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