Health insurers in WA state request small average rate increases,
only 5.4%, but the state is expected to approve even lower increases.
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/state/washington-health-insurance-prices-to-go-down-for-some_30413442
The state insurance commissioner has estimated insurance rates within the health care exchange would go up 5.4 percent as a weighted average if the companies' proposed rate increases - and decreases - are approved by his office. In most years, however, insurance rate increases are approved at lower amounts than company requests.
In some other states, insurance companies are requesting double-digit premium hikes because they say they experienced higher-than-expected care costs and other expenses.
SNIP
Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler said Washington's insurance market is more stable than in other states and most companies have managed to make money in the first few years of health care reform.
He credits the way Washington set up its exchange, the state's quick embrace of Medicaid expansion, other state laws that have kept things competitive and his decision to refuse to allow old, non-ACA-complaint insurance plans to be sold here, despite President Barack Obama's request to do so.
