OLYMPIA, WA—Thirteen health insurers filed an average requested rate increase of 11.3% for Washington State’s individual health insurance market. The proposed plans and rates are currently under review, and final decisions will be made this fall.
“I recognize that any proposed increase in price is deeply upsetting to those struggling to pay for coverage today,” Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler says. “People should know that these rates are not final and my office will be carefully reviewing each request to validate the assumptions being made by our state’s insurers. We will do everything under our authority ensure that any rate changes are justified.”
From the Office of the Insurance Commissioner:
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner was directed by the state legislature to study various policy ideas that could lower the overall cost of health care. The final report with recommendations is due August 1.
People who do not get health insurance from their employer shop for health plans in the individual market. Financial subsidies that help lower monthly premiums are available, based on income, through Washington’s online health insurance marketplace, www.wahealthplanfinder.org.
An estimated 255,784 people in Washington are currently enrolled in health plans through the individual market.
| Company name | Inside/outside Exchange | Estimated people impacted | Requested average rate change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asuris Northwest Health | Outside | 994 | 15.8% |
| Bridgespan Health Company | Inside | 544 | 20.3% |
| Coordinated Care Corporation | Inside | 83,378 | 12.1% |
| Community Health Plan of Washington | Inside | 23,598 | 4.5% |
| Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest | Both | 7,232 | 6.4% |
| Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington | Both | 46,266 | 7.9% |
| LifeWise Health Plan of Washington | Inside | 26,659 | 8.0% |
| Molina Healthcare of Washington, Inc. | Inside | 41,454 | 7.5% |
| Premera Blue Cross | Inside | 10,943 | 14.9% |
| Providence Health Plan | Outside | 246 | 9.3% |
| Regence BlueShield | Both | 28,369 | 23.8% |
| Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oregon | Both | 8,397 | 16.8% |
| UnitedHealthcare of Oregon, Inc. | Both | 6,207 | 23.6% |
| Total | 284, 287 | 11.3%*
*Average weighted by enrollment |
