Economist: California rule will raise health insurance costs

(The Center Square) – For economist Wayne Winegarden, it’s a no-brainer.

More competition lowers prices, and less competition raises them, Winegarden told The Center Square this week. He calls that Economics 101.

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But a California rule taking effect Jan. 1, 2026, will limit the number of insurance plans allowed in each county and thus drive up premiums for the 1.7 million Californians who are enrolled in both Medicare and Medi-Cal, the state’s version of Medicaid, said Winegarden. He authored a new brief on the issue for Pasadena-based Pacific Research Institute and is director of th