News Archive

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has extended three emergency orders. His order requiring health insurers to waive copays and deductibles for any consumer requiring testing for the coronavirus (COVID-19) and his order protecting consumers from receiving surprise bills for lab fees related to medically necessary diagnostic testing for COVID-19 are both extended until October 25. Both orders will be extended one more time through the end of October. They will not be renewed after Oct. 31 when the Washington's emergency declaration is expected to end. 

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OLYMPIA, Wash. – Twelve health insurers are approved to sell plans in Washington's 2023 Exchange health insurance market. The average rate increase is 8.18%.  Plans from two additional health insurers (Asuris Northwest Health and Providence Health Plan) are still under review for sale outside of the Exchange.

Key drivers behind this year's premium changes are increased utilization, including pent-up demand for elective surgeries and changes to what payments the insurers either owed or received under the Affordable Care Act's risk adjustment program.  This program stabilizes the…

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Ricardo Carmona and Saul Perez both recently pled guilty to insurance fraud in Yakima County Superior Court.

Ricardo Carmona, of Yakima and Saul Perez, of Wapato were recently convicted of insurance fraud after a criminal investigation by the Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU) of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Carmona and Perez both pled guilty to the charges of false claims or proof, attempted first degree theft, and criminal conspiracy. They were each ordered to pay $600 in court fees and sentenced to three months electronic home monitoring.  …

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Ivan Kriger was recently found guilty of insurance fraud for a second time in Spokane County Superior Court.  

Ivan Kriger (also known as Evaun Syrah Solomon), of Spokane, was recently convicted of insurance fraud after Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU) completed a second criminal investigation into his filing of false insurance claims. Kriger pled guilty to another charge of filing false claims after he was found guilty by a jury earlier this year. 

In this case, CIU’s investigation found that Kriger…