More research forecasts a stormy 2019 for ACA premiums

A growing body of analysis is showing that 2019 will be a particularly bad year for exchange premiums.

In a new report, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) said many Republican policies will lead to double-digit exchange premiums next year.

Specifically, the elimination of the individual mandate alone will increase premiums by up to 10%, and planned expansions of associated and short-term plans by as much as 4% and 1.7%, respectively. 

"While health insurance providers are committed to ensuring consumers have access to affordable coverage options, a number of factors will continue to place upward pressure on premiums for the 2019 plan year ... which could further destabilize risk pools and increase premiums," the group said.

RELATED: 2019 premium requests at Maryland ACA exchange top 91%

However, AHIP did project that the one-year delay of the health insurer tax next year will reduce premiums by about 3%. Bipartisan lawmakers are already trying to delay the tax until 2021

The group's research follows other analysis by the Congressional Budget Office and the left-leaning Center for American Progress that found double-digit premium increases are on the horizon.

Meanwhile, some insurers have already requested exchange premium increases of up to 91% for next year.