Kreidler: State health insurers due $106 million from Supreme Court ruling

04/30/2020

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler anticipates that a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this week will provide $106 million to health insurers operating in Washington and could possibly lead to premium relief for consumers who buy coverage on the individual health insurance market. 

The 8-1 ruling on April 27 mandates the federal government pay participating health insurers nationwide a combined $12 billion. 

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) created the Risk-Corridor Program to stabilize health premiums and provide a financial backstop for insurers willing…

Kreidler extends deadlines, expedites online education for insurance producers

04/28/2020

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler filed emergency rules that will help insurance producers during the state of Washington’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order. Insurance producers are people who are licensed to sell insurance in Washington state. 

The rules:

Extend licensing renewal dates until July 31, 2020 for producers whose licenses expire between March 1 and June 30. Producers who paid a late fee for a license renewal during this period may be eligible for a refund of the fee. Requests for an extension or a late-fee refund must be submitted via a…

Kreidler orders Alliance for Shared Health to stop selling illegal health insurance in Washington state

04/23/2020

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler today ordered Alliance for Shared Health, Inc., to immediately stop selling insurance illegally and to stop acting as a health care service contractor in Washington state.  

Alliance for Shared Health markets itself as a health care sharing ministry but fails to meet the legal definition under state law. It sold 12 health plans to over 1,400 people in the state who paid over $237,000 in premiums. Four of its members filed complaints with Kreidler’s office about issues including unpaid medical claims, repeated failed…

Watch out for Medicare coronavirus scams

04/20/2020

OLYMPIA, Wash. - As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Medicare enrollees need to stay vigilant against possible scams, including perpetrators emailing or calling seniors and offering coronavirus vaccines. 

“Currently, there’s no FDA-approved coronavirus vaccine,” said Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. “Beware of anyone who tries to scare you into giving up your Medicare number or bank account information. If you get one of these calls or emails, hang up or delete the email.”

Kreidler’s Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) program…