Gov. Jay Inslee issued this statement in response to Thursday’s announcement by President Obama that insurers could continue to offer individual insurance plans that don’t comply with the ACA
“We appreciate President Obama’s efforts, through the administrative fix announced today, to address the concerns of those who have gotten ‘cancellation’ letters from their insurance companies.
“Each state will be examining this option to see whether it works for them, and we know different states will come to different conclusions.
“Here in Washington, we are fortunate to have a robust insurance exchange, with 46 plans from eight different carriers. We’re also fortunate that our exchange, the Washington Healthplanfinder, is up and running and enrolling tens of thousands of people in meaningful and affordable health coverage.
“Because of that, the majority of Washingtonians who get these letters are able to find better plans and get tax subsidies to help pay for them. They are getting better coverage at a better price.
“Largely because of the success we’ve had implementing the Affordable Care Act so far, Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has concluded that the option of extending old health plans is not a good solution for the state of Washington.
“We understand that these cancellation letters can be upsetting, and we want to make sure everyone knows how to find the best deal for themselves and their families. We encourage everyone to explore their options on the Washington Healthplanfinder -- www.wahealthplanfinder.org -- and seek out the help of an in-person assistor or broker to find a plan that fits their needs and their budgets.
“We also want to make sure that the people of our state have meaningful health insurance that will cover them when they get sick or end up in the hospital or find they need ongoing prescription drugs, and we know the plans we have in Washington will do that.”