NJ residents have costly health insurance benefits

New Jersey residents who bought health insurance benefits through online broker eHealth.com during the open enrollment period purchased the most expensive policies in the country, The Star-Ledger reported. 

Monthly premiums of many types of health insurance plans have increased in recent years, but New Jersey residents' wallets are seeing the biggest impact - the average premium for New Jersey residents looking at a family plan was $987 a month. Those who wanted an individual plan didn't experience costs as high, with the average premium being $346 a month - only the third highest in the nation.

A large chunk of people in the state are experiencing these prices. According to the news source, approximately 162,000 New Jersey residents enrolled in Affordable Care Act insurance plans.

One reason why theses averages may be so high could be that many New Jersey residents picked Silver plans, rather than the cheaper Bronze plans. The Star-Ledger reported 47 percent of Americans who purchased plans through eHealth chose Bronze plans, while only 28 percent of New Jersey residents picked these health plans. Forty percent ended up picking the Silver plan, which covers nearly three-quarters of health care costs, the news source reported.