You can get health insurance in every Washington county this year, but it’ll cost you
Every county in
State officials also announced Monday that insurance companies have proposed premium hikes of roughly 19 percent on average. While that's a big increase, it's a dip from last year's 24-percent jump and a smaller rise in prices than many expected.
"We're seeing what I'd like to think is some improvement," Washington state Insurance Commissioner
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Despite the sliver of good news, debate continues about what exactly is to blame for the continued premium increases.
State Rep.
Kreidler and some Democratic members of
"Clearly for somebody out there who doesn't receive a subsidy, they're finding it very, very difficult to keep their health insurance," Kreidler said.
Within
Fourteen counties will have one health insurance company on the individual market in 2019.
The proposed rate increases aren't final as Kreidler's office still must review and approve them in mid-September. He said in an interview they don't typically change dramatically unless he finds the rate increase is completely unnecessary.
More than 268,000 people buy health insurance through
Murray has been a leader on bipartisan efforts in
In part, it would have funded payments to health insurance companies that subsidize low-income people using the ACA. Those payments, known as "cost-sharing reductions," were stopped in 2017 by the Trump administration, which said they were being illegally funded without Congressional approval.
"I want to work with anyone, from either party, who is ready to focus on lowering costs for patients," Murray said in a news release.
Kreidler also criticized the federal government for eliminating its requirement that people buy health insurance, which takes effect in 2019. Supporters say the so-called individual mandate keeps healthy people in the insurance pool, lowering costs for everyone. Opponents said the mandate was a case of government overreach.
Schmick said he believes those have contributed to rising costs. But he said he is generally in favor of repealing the ACA in the aim of lowering premiums and said there needs to be more flexibility in charging insurance rates based on a person's history. He wouldn't say exactly what factors companies should be able to consider but said, "We need to take a look at where we were before the ACA went into effect."
Schmick also said the Legislature has added to costs through programs such as requiring coverage of three-dimensional mammography. He said the program would save lives but also raise health insurance prices.
One area of agreement between Kreidler and Schmick: having a coverage option in every county is a relief.
"One isn't a choice but I guess between one and none at least there's an option out there," Schmick said.
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