Report shows that nearly 1 million Washington residents do not have any health insurance

Washington’s Insurance Commissioner, Mike Kreidler, has released a new report showing the large gap between state residents who have health insurance and those that do not. According to the report, the number of people without health insurance will reach 1 million by the end of this year. Between the periods of 2008 and 2010, the number of those without insurance coverage rose by 180,000. Commissioner Kreidler attributes the problem to a stagnating economy and an aging population. The report notes that hospitals and health care professionals throughout the state are…

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Washington insurer facing fines after denying coverage for contraceptives for women

As the nation’s insurers begin to make the shift in covering birth control for women, some companies are falling behind. Washington’s Regence BlueShield, one of the state’s largest health insurance companies, is being fined by state insurance regulators for denying coverage to nearly 1,000 women. The company is now facing fines coming from the state’s Insurance Department. Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler was first made aware of the issue early this week when a consumer contacted his office to file a complaint. Regence BlueShield now faces a $100,000 fine for what…

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