OLYMPIA – Up to 2500 Olympic Peninsula residents are losing their health care coverage on July 1 of this year when their KPS insurance provider exits the individual and family market.
But thanks to a bill recently approved by the state legislature last week, those losing their coverage will have an easier time transitioning to a new plan. On March 3, the Senate approved amendments made by the House to SB 6412, and the measure is now headed to the governor’s desk for signature.
Representatives Kevin Van De Wege (D – Sequim) and Steve Tharinger (D – Dungeness), both supported SB 6412. Van De Wege sits on the House Health Care and Wellness committee, which moved the bill forward last month for consideration on the House floor. It passed the full House on February 27.
“Without this legislation, many of our neighbors would end up uninsured by this summer,” said Van De Wege. “Instead, they will be protected from being unfairly priced out of the health insurance market as they find new coverage for themselves and their families.”
The bill exempts those who are losing their KPS individual and family coverage from having to complete a standard health screening questionnaire if they apply for a new plan within 90 days of losing coverage. This means they cannot be denied coverage for a pre-existing condition.
It makes all the difference for Port Angeles resident Kathyrn Fridley, who has already seen her health care premiums double in the last few years and her deductible rise from $700 to over $5000 per year. Fridley is a current KPS subscriber and has a pre-existing condition that might normally disqualify her from obtaining coverage. She has about a year and a half before she is eligible for Medicare.
“Rep. Van De Wege has helped to prepare a level playing field so we can at least apply in a competitive market without being disqualified right from the beginning,” Fridley said. “At least we have a fighting chance.”
Unlike most bills, which take effect 90 days after being signed into law, SB 6412 included an “emergency clause” and goes into effect immediately after Governor Gregoire signs it.
Tharinger says access to affordable healthcare for individuals and families is an issue of ongoing concern. He is particularly concerned about maintaining funding for hospitals that serve rural populations like the Olympic Peninsula as state lawmakers continue working on a supplemental state budget.
“The loss of this insurance provider is particularly hard for the Peninsula, because we tend to have an older demographic than other parts of the state,” Tharinger said. “But with passage of this bill, we’re making sure that people like Kathyrn Fridley still have options for health coverage.”