OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler extended his emergency order directing all state-regulated health insurers to make additional coverage changes to aid consumers during the coronavirus pandemic. His order is in effect until June 27 and requires health insurers to:
Continue coverage for providing telehealth via methods including telephone and video chat tools such as Facetime, Facebook Messenger video chat, Google Hangout video, Skype and Go-to-Meeting. Treat drive-up testing sites for COVID-19 as provider visits with no copay, coinsurance or…News Archive
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OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has extended two 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 June 13, 2021.
Kreidler's order waiving cost-sharing applies to all state-regulated health insurance plans and short-term, limited-duration medical plans. The order on surprise billing applies…
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill (2SSB 5313) today prohibiting health insurers from discriminating against policyholders by denying medically necessary treatment, regardless of their gender expression or identity. The new law improves on the protections already in place in Washington state and focuses on the specific barriers to gender-affirming care that patients were encountering, including blanket exclusions for certain services.
“Our state laws are even more clear now that patients, regardless of their gender expression or identity, cannot be…
OLYMPIA, Wash. – A bill to provide a framework to captive insurers doing business in Washington state became law today after Gov. Jay Inslee signed the legislation. Second Substitute SB 5315 (leg.wa.gov) was requested by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler and sponsored by Sen. Mark Mullet, D-Issaquah.
The bill requires that captives operating in Washington state must:
Register with Kreidler’s office. Pay a registration fee of $2,500. Pay an annual 2% premium tax on insurance by March 1 every year, starting in 2022.An independent study commissioned…