Now the small group insurance market is facing cost problems in many states. The individual market is growing again, and risk pools are also growing again, though they still represent a very small section of the population. Premiums are up by a similar amount. The increases are not all due to inflation. Partly due to enrollment growth.
Most pools are small.
Colorado's risk pool has been small, but is growing- up to 1,975 now. It is likely to continue to grow due to stricter underwriting in the private market, plus high costs and problems in Colorado's small group market will likely put more people in the individual market. But state risk pools have been and will continue to be comparatively very small programs, not competitive with private market. They serve as safety net programs for people the private market does not serve. Risk pool premiums are somewhat higher than comparable private insurance, but pools all have caps on premiums set by legislation to benefit consumers.