How Much Does Health Insurance Cost In Massachusetts? 
Health insurance rates for individual major medical plans vary greatly . Premium rates are determined based on a number of factors . In assessing a proper rate , health insurance underwriters will consider your age , gender , zip code , plan design and medical history . Some states currently have `` guaranteed issue '' rating processes that mean a carrier must issue a policy regardless of your health . And some states use a community rating guide . Community rated policies generally do not include adjustments for age or gender . Either one of these rating requirements can cause rates to be considerably higher than in states that do not apply community rating or guaranteed issue . Guaranteed issue rates are among the highest in the country and it is not unusual for premiums to be 2x higher than for a similar plan in an area that does not use the guaranteed issue process . 