The nation's largest state-based health insurance exchange Thursday announced that the 11 issuers selling plans through the individual market have requested rate increases averaging 8.7 percent, but the exchange also stresses the proposed hikes would have been about 3.5 percent lower had Congress had not axed the individual mandate. Covered California also says most consumers, all of whom will have a choice of at least two plans, could avoid increases by shopping on the exchange. “Covered California continues to benefit...