OLYMPIA, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Washington residents will again see a hefty rise in their health insurance plans next year.
The state Office of the Insurance Commissioner announced on Sept. 12 that it approved a 10.7% average rate increase in health insurance premiums for 2025.
It’s an increase from the roughly 9% rate increase in 2024 and comes as the rates have risen in every year since 2022. Still, it says this newest rate hike was lower than the 11.3% increase that was requested. Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler says that a rise in services used and the cost to deliver that care were the main drivers behind the new rate increases.
The state Health Benefit Exchange Board certified 74 health and nine dental plans on Sept. 12 from 11 insurers that were approved to sell on Washington Healthplanfinder. Of those 11 carriers, four were approved for Whatcom County, including Coordinated Care Corporation, Kaiser, Lifewise and Regence BlueShield.
As of July 2024, there were nearly 260,000 residents in Washington who were enrolled in health plans through the individual market.
