Dan Goldberg is reporting at Politico New York New York state insurers selling health insurance plans on the individual market are asking the Cuomo administration to raise average premiums by more than 17 percent next year. The increase is a result of rising medical costs, decreasing federal funding and unwise assumptions about the health of consumers. The new rates would take effect in January, the fourth season for Affordable Care Act plans. The requested premium increases range from 6 percent for MPV and HealthNow, to Crystal Run's proposed 89 percent bump up. The state Department of Financial Services has the final say on premium increases. Last year, insurers requested an average increase of nearly 11 percent, but that was eventually reduced to 7.1 percent. Rate increases do not necessarily mean consumers pay more for plans, because the vast majority of people shopping on New York's health exchange receive federal subsidies in the form of tax credits. According to Goldberg, anyone who qualifies for a subsidy and signs up for one of the two least expensive silver plans should be protected from premium increases. Read the full story at Politico New York.