Washington's big Obamacare reveal

Greg Shaw

Greg Shaw Jul 3, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>Washington's big Obamacare reveal</h1>
                <h2><p>Washington state has revealed its long-awaited online health insurance exchange and the prices at least are rather underwhelming. The online marketplace will include 31 health plans from four companies at a variety of price points (That's the good part), but most monthly premiums in the marketplace will actually</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/grshaw-microsoft-com/">Greg Shaw</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>Washington state has revealed its long-awaited online health insurance exchange and the prices at least are rather underwhelming. The online marketplace will include 31 health plans from four companies at a variety of price points (That's the good part), but most monthly premiums in the marketplace will actually be higher than existing plans. State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021520849_planratesxml.html?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">told the Seattle Times' Carol Ostrom</a> that that's because they will cover much more — including prescription drugs, maternity and newborn care.And, to buffer the blow of a mid-level $235/month plan for a healthy 21-year-old, the plans will be federally subsidized. At least for those individuals who make up to $45,960 annually or families of four making up to $94,200. The plans will go into effect in 2014.</p>
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Washington state has revealed its long-awaited online health insurance exchange and the prices at least are rather underwhelming. The online marketplace will include 31 health plans from four companies at a variety of price points (That's the good part), but most monthly premiums in the marketplace will actually be higher than existing plans. State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler told the Seattle Times' Carol Ostrom that that's because they will cover much more — including prescription drugs, maternity and newborn care.And, to buffer the blow of a mid-level $235/month plan for a healthy 21-year-old, the plans will be federally subsidized. At least for those individuals who make up to $45,960 annually or families of four making up to $94,200. The plans will go into effect in 2014.

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By Greg Shaw

Greg Shaw is a senior director in Microsoft’s strategy group. He served as publisher of Crosscut and prior to that was a director for the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation. He writes for Crosscu