Washington state helped lead the nation in health care reform, working on a state marketplace long before other states started preparing for national health care reform.
(See Health reform bill goes to the governor, Moving forward on health care reform and What health care reform really means for your community)
Now the state Insurance Commissioner has announced even more companies will join that marketplace and offer plans on the Washington Healthplanfinder exchange.
In the first year, eight insurance companies sold plans on the site. That doesn’t mean there were eight plans to choose from. Companies can offer a number of options, ranked by price and quality to make it easy to compare.
Here are details from the Insurance Commissioner’s office:
“The proposals submitted certainly indicate that consumers will have more options available to them,” said Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. “I expect that we’ll have even more robust markets inside and outside of the exchange for 2015. Increased competition is part of health care reform and that’s what we are seeing.”
The following list includes the companies that submitted proposals for Exchange plans:
- Columbia United Providers — NEW
- Health Alliance Northwest Health Plan, Inc. — NEW
- UnitedHealthcare of Washington, Inc. — NEW
- Moda Health Plan, Inc. — NEW
- BridgeSpan Health Company
- Community Health Plan of Washington (CHPW)
- Coordinated Care Corporation (CCC)
- Molina Healthcare of Washington
- Premera BlueCross
- LifeWise Health Plan of Washington
- Group Health Cooperative
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest
The following list includes the companies that submitted proposals for the outside market:
- Moda Health Plan, Inc. — NEW
- Group Health Cooperative
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest
- LifeWise Health Plan of Washington
- Premera Blue Cross
- Asuris Northwest Health
- Group Health Options, Inc.
- Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
- Regence BlueShield
- Health Net Health Plan of Oregon, Inc
In addition, two companies have submitted proposals to offer policies to qualified small businesses in 2015 through the Small Business Health Options Program, or SHOP.
- Moda Health Plan, Inc. — NEW
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest
In 2014, Kaiser was the only option for those plans, which were available just in Clark and Cowlitz counties.
Kreidler’s office will review all plans to ensure they include the 10 essential health benefits, such as coverage for prescription drugs and maternity care. Open enrollment in all plans inside and outside of the Exchange begins Nov. 15.
How much someone pays will depend on their age, where they live, whether or not they smoke, and which plan they select.
Proposed rates are expected to be available to the public by May 10. Consumers can sign up to receive an email when the rates are posted on in the Insurance Commissioner’s website.