Commissioner Mike Kreidler announced June 19 that Premera will offer health plans in Grays Harbor County. Klickitat County remains without any individual insurance options. Commissioner Kreidler and his staff are engaged in negotiations to see if a willing insurer can be found. Five counties (Ferry, Grays Harbor, Pend Oreille, Skagit and Skamania) will have only one insurer in 2018. Clallam and Wahkiakum counties will have two insurers, but through the same parent company.
Insurance rates are also an issue. All eleven health insurers still providing coverage in the individual market have proposed rate increases, ranging from 9.7% to 38.49%. Read more in Fiscal Watch. (Zosia Stanley)
