My relative's complaint about Obamacare...

[wevets]

@md2000

Well, if the ACA says "affordable"means 8% of income - logically, any insurance plan that does not yet charge 8% will be motivated to bump premiums up to 8%. What was a ceiling logically becomes a floor too.

(Are health plans allowed to charge “percent of income” or are they required to publish the same rate for all members?)

Plans under the ACA markets may only charge rates based on age, family size, tobacco use, geographic area, and metal tier (platinum, gold, silver, etc.)

LIMITS ON PREMIUM VARIATIONS.
Premiums charged to older adults are limited to three times those charged to younger adults. Aside from age, premiums will be allowed to vary only by family size, tobacco status, geographic area, and metal tier. Premiums will not be allowed to vary by health status or gender.
SINGLE RISK POOL.
Insurers must use a single risk pool for each of the individual and small group markets when developing insurance premiums. This means insurers cannot separate their insured populations into different pools, with higher premiums charged to one segment and lower premiums charged to another.

From http://www.actuary.org/files/Premium_Change_ACA_IB_FINAL_050813.pdf (note that it’s a PDF)
This above rule applies to the individual and small group markets. Large employers’ plans and grandfathered plans from before the ACA are not subject to these limitations.