WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration is confirming that premiums will go up sharply next year for health insurance sold to millions of consumers through HealthCare.gov.

Before taxpayer-provided subsidies, premiums for a midlevel benchmark plan will increase an average of 25 percent across states served by the federally run online market.

The number of insurers serving the federal market will drop from 232 to 167, a loss of about 28 percent.

Administration officials say that despite the sobering numbers, subsidies designed to rise alongside premiums will insulate most customers from sticker shock. And they add that consumers who are willing to shop for a cheaper plan will still be able to find bargains.

Sign-up season starts Nov. 1, and window-shopping for plans and premiums is already available.

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito has released a statement in response to the double digit increases for Obamacare.

"The sharp increase in health insurance rates is further proof that Obamacare is failing to deliver what it promised: affordable, quality health care. Families in West Virginia and across the country that are already struggling to make ends meet and those living on fixed incomes simply cannot afford to pay hundreds of dollars more per month with this double-digit increase. Yet, these hard-working Americans are stuck footing the bill for this broken law. It’s time to revisit the many problems with Obamacare and pursue reforms that actually deliver the affordable care all Americans deserve."