Last week, the Manhattan Institute published an interactive map showing a county-by-county analysis of pre- and post-ObamaCare premium rates across the country. Unsurprisingly, the study found that unsubsidized individual-market premiums increased by 49 percent on average for the 3,137 counties that were included in the analysis.

Some ACA supporters have condemned the Manhattan Institute’s findings for excluding the effect of federal subsidies on premiums. But the purpose of the study was to examine how ObamaCare’s reforms have affected health insurance costs, and you can’t do that unless you know how much the premiums have increased prior to taxpayer-funded subsidies offsetting the out-of-pocket cost to consumers.

In Texas, 27-year-olds can expect to see their monthly premiums increase by an average of 79 percent for men and 29 percent for women. As espoused by the Obama administration, government subsidies do have the potential to dampen the effects of skyrocketing premium rates for a portion of Texas’ population; however, those with incomes above 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level don’t qualify for subsidies and, if they purchase coverage on the individual market, will be forced to face rate increases head-on.

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These higher overall rates in Texas are only serving to dissuade the young and healthy from signing up. The problem is, their premium payments are necessary to offset the heightened costs of covering the disabled and elderly.

It is also important to recognize that exchange coverage is being provided to low-income individuals at a price that is significantly offset by taxpayers. It is not free. Not only will many feel the financial strain that will accompany higher premiums, but those same individuals will likely be dealt a second blow when taxes increase to pay for augmented government spending in the form of subsidies.

Although the idea of making coverage cheaper for low-income Americans is perhaps well-intentioned, it will ultimately create a greater tax burden for the middle class, and potentially make insurance on the individual market unaffordable-even for those with low incomes.

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