OLYMPIA, Wash. – Today, the Senate failed to pass either of two health care bills they voted on, one of which was to extend the enhanced premium tax credits. Washington Health Benefit Exchange released the following statement:
“We are deeply disappointed Congress failed to extend the enhanced premium tax credits (ePTCs). We know these tax credits have made a tremendous difference to Washingtonians. They have helped to make health insurance more affordable, and without them more people will be forced to go without coverage and increase the uninsured rate. We also know that many of our customers will be forced to make tough decisions to afford the increased costs.
“While this extension was not successful, we are grateful to members of our state Congressional delegation for their leadership in fighting for Washingtonians and highlighting this very important issue and the focus on health care affordability.
Amid tax credit uncertainty, many Washingtonians are still finding their health insurance for 2026 through Washington Healthplanfinder
OLYMPIA, Wash. – During the first month of open enrollment for 2026, more than 268,000 Washingtonians used Washington Healthplanfinder to shop, compare and sign up for health and dental insurance. Even though enhanced premium tax credits for next year may not be extended through Congress, many customers can still find plans with state and federal savings.
Open enrollment is currently underway for 2026, people who sign up by Dec. 15 will have coverage that starts on Jan. 1. Everyone who signs up between Dec. 16 and Jan. 15 will have plans that begin on Feb. 1. At wahealthplanfinder.org, Washingtonians can shop for themselves or find help from a trusted resource in their community. Premium savings may be available to help make monthly costs more affordable.
Last week I noted that thirteen states have launched window shopping for the 2026 ACA Open Enrollment Period (OEP), allowing residents of the following states to plug their household information into their states ACA exchange website to see just how much their net health insurance premiums are going to increase starting January 1st, 2026:
The Affordable Care Act premium tax credits at the center of federal shutdown discussions help almost 217,000 Washingtonians pay their monthly health insurance costs through Washington Healthplanfinder
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington Health Benefit Exchange CEO Ingrid Ulrey issued a statement today about Affordable Care Act tax credits that help Americans pay for health insurance, and which have become a central issue in the debate regarding the government shutdown.
“As we enter the third week of the federal government shutdown with a focus on the enhanced premium tax credits (ePTCs), it is important to remember what is at stake for Washingtonians.
“This year, these tax credits help nearly 217,000 Washingtonians afford the coverage they need for themselves and their families. If the enhanced level of these tax credits is allowed to expire, it will be people in our most rural counties, those who run small businesses or who are self-employed and older adults who are not yet eligible for Medicare who will face the steepest premium increases.
I just finished writing up a deep dive into the Arkansas Insurance Dept's move from laissez faire-style Silver Loading to fully-regulated & maximized Premium Alignment in an attempt to mitigate the massive net premium damage about to be caused if the enhanced ACA premium tax credits expire at the end of 2025.
However, it's not just Arkansas which has finally seen the light and joined about a dozen other states in putting full-bore Premium Alignment (PA) pricing into place to help reduce the financial burden on ACA individual market enrollees in 2026.
Other states which have already done so in the past include Colorado (sort of), Texas, New Mexico, Maryland, Pennsylvania (somewhat), Illinois, Vermont and Wyoming.
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Fourteen health insurers have requested an average rate change of 21.2% for Washington state's 2026 Individual Health Insurance Market. Insurers base their requested rate changes on assumptions they make about the services their policyholders will use and the cost to deliver that care. The health plans and proposed rate changes are currently under review by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
Wellpoint Washington, Inc. is new to the market and plans to sell in Grays Harbor, King and Spokane counties.
Washington State has around ~308,000 residents enrolled in ACA exchange plans, 73% of whom are currently subsidized. I estimate they also have another ~29,000 unsubsidized off-exchange enrollees.
Public comment at Washington Health Benefit Exchange Board includes 10 testimonials, plus additional stories
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washingtonians shared stories of how access to more affordable health insurance has affected lives and communities all across the state, with Washington Health Benefit Exchange (Exchange) Board last week. The testimonials were particularly impactful in light of a myriad of recent federal changes to state-based marketplaces such as the Exchange, and the impending potential expiration of enhanced premium tax credits (ePTC) before Congress.
With the pending dire threat to several of these programs (primarily Medicaid & the ACA) from the House Republican Budget Proposal which recently passed, I'm going a step further and am generating pie charts which visualize just how much of every Congressional District's total population is at risk of losing healthcare coverage.
USE THE DROP-DOWN MENU ABOVE TO FIND YOUR STATE & DISTRICT.
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Ingrid Ulrey, CEO of Washington Health Benefit Exchange, the state-based marketplace for Affordable Care Act plans, released a statement today following the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) announcement of the 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Final Rule.
“Together, this major new regulatory action, plus imminent Congressional action on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, plus the potential expiration of enhanced premium tax credits at the end of this year is a perfect storm for nearly 300,000 Washingtonians who rely on our marketplace to purchase private health insurance.”
