UnitedHealth has dropped its individual rates by about 10 percent for plans sold on Washington, D.C.'s health insurance exchange, known as the D.C. Health Link. The insurer originally proposed premiums higher than its competitors, which include Aetna, CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield and Kaiser Permanente, reported the Washington Business Journal. Now a 40-year-old individual will pay $341 instead of $370 for a silver plan. "Because prices on the exchange will be transparent and easy to compare when it opens Oct. 1, they will be far more competitive for the individuals and small businesses who buy insurance through the exchange," UnitedHealth said in explaining its rate reduction. D.C. Insurance Commissioner William White commended UnitedHealth for adjusting its rates. "It's a sign of things to come, and shows how powerfully the exchange will stimulate competition now that consumers can easily shop for the best deal.," White said in a statement. Announcement