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May 28, 2020 at 02:45 AM
The Washington state individual major medical insurance market could be a popular place for health insurers to be in 2021.
The state’s insurance regulators have received applications from five companies that want to sell coverage solely through the state’s Washington Healthplanfinder exchange, two companies that want to sell coverage solely off the exchange, and six companies that want to sell coverage both on and off the exchange.
(Related: State Regulators, Health Insurers Muster for Coronavirus Fight)
Two companies, Kaiser Permanente and Regence, have each applied to sell coverage both and on the exchange through two separate operating companies.
One carrier, a Washington-state-based arm of Community Health Network of Indiana, is new to the Washington Healthplanfinder.
Another carrier, UnitedHealth Group Inc,. will start offering plans on the Washington Healthplanfinder, through UnitedHealthcare of Oregon. UnitedHealth last offered coverage on the state’s exchange, through UnitedHealthcare of Washington, in 2016.
More than 200,000 people have enrolled in 2020 coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder.
Including the two Kaiser affiliates and the two Regence affiliates separately, Washington’s individual market is on track to have a total of 15 issuers in 2021, up from 13 this year.
Washington state regulators hope to release the 2021 individual major medical rate proposals June 1.
The state hopes to announce information about the state’s new Cascade Care public option plan program in late June.
ACA Exchange Basics
Moderate Democrats in Congress created the ACA public exchange system in 2008 and 2009, to serve as an alternative to proposals for a government-run “public option” health insurance program. The exchange program was based in part on proposals developed by health insurance brokers and health insurers.
