News Archive

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler fined LifeWise Health Plan of Washington and Evolent Health LLC a total of $225,000 for incorrectly processing, and automatically denying, health insurance claims based on the patient’s gender.

Kreidler fined LifeWise $150,000 and fined Evolent — LifeWise’s health care benefit manager — $75,000 in orders filed on Sept. 12, 2024. Health care benefit managers are third-party professionals or entities who act as intermediaries between insurers, providers and patients, often making determinations on whether services…

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) announced today that 11 health insurers have been approved to sell in Washington's 2025 Exchange health insurance market. The approved average rate increase of 10.7% is lower than the 11.3% average increase requested. 

Rates and plans for two additional insurers that only sell outside of the Exchange (Asuris Northwest Health and Providence Health Plan) are still pending. 

"I know this rate increase will hit hard for many people, especially at a time when other expenses are up," said Insurance Commissioner Mike…

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) issued a new report today (PDF, 3.20MB) studying five potential policy options that could make health care more affordable in Washington state. The report, delivered to the state Legislature, uses pricing data to provide an economic and actuarial analysis of each policy option that estimates savings for consumers, organizations and the state’s economy.

“We’ve made great strides in getting people access to health coverage in Washington state, but it’s simply not enough,” said Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. “Too…

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Three suspects pleaded guilty to insurance fraud in May and June after investigations by Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations Unit. 

The fraud cases included a suspect from Qatar who had been on Kreidler’s Insurance Fraud Most Wanted list since 2013, a home burglary claim with falsified items, and an auto policy purchased after a collision.

Ahmed Mesbah — of Qatar and formerly from Seattle — pled guilty in King County Superior Court to…