ST. PAUL (AP) - Minnesota officials say the average rate for policies sold on the state health insurance exchange next year will go up 4.5 percent.

They say that will still give Minnesota the lowest average rate in the nation.

The officials said the five companies participating in the exchange range from dropping their averages by 10 percent to hiking them more than 17 percent. They declined to say which companies are raising rates and which are lowering them.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, HealthPartners, Medica and UCare are being joined in the exchange by Blue Plus - a Blue Cross affiliate.

This past year's lowest-cost and largest provider, PreferredOne, said last month it was dropping out of the exchange because it couldn't sustain its pricing.

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