Rates for Calif. pre-existing condition plans drop by an average of 18%

The federal government approved the state's plan to lower the rates in an effort to increase enrollment.

Los Angeles Times: Rates Drop For California Safety-Net Health Insurance
Californians who rely on safety-net health insurance are getting an unexpected break on their rates. The lucky recipients get their coverage through a little-known public program, started last fall, for people with preexisting medical conditions. The federal government foots most of the bill and recently gave the state, which runs the program, permission to lower rates (Helfand, 8/4).

KQED/California Report: State's Pre-Existing Conditions Health Plan Lowers Rates
As part of last year's national health care overhaul, the State of California offers a health insurance plan for people with pre-existing conditions who can't get insurance elsewhere. But enrollment has been low, so the state is lowering premiums (8/3). 

California Healthline: Cost Drops for Patients With Pre-Existing Conditions
Enrollment for the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) just got a big boost. ... [Now,] the cost of premiums in the plan are about to drop by an average of 18% .... The lower premium prices were recently approved by CMS (Gorn, 8/3). 

Related, earlier story from KHN: Feds Cutting Fees, Requirements For High-Risk Health Insurance Pools (Galewitz, 5/31).