Washington- Lawmakers Pass Rules for Insurance Exchange

The Washington state Legislature has passed a bill setting rules for insurers preparing for the state's online insurance exchange.

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Under the bill passed Saturday, carriers in Washington will be able to sell plans outside of the exchange, but, as is the case in the exchange, they won't be allowed to offer cheaper "bronze" plans without also selling "silver" and "gold" plans. In this way, they won't be able to opt out of the exchange to cover only the young and the healthy.

"Our concern was that the insurance companies not game the system and operate outside the exchange," said Stephanie Marquis, spokeswoman for the state's Insurance Commissioner's Office. "We got a really good bill passed."

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Catastrophic plans, available to younger people of limited means, would be available only inside the exchange.

The bill also stipulates that the state will use its largest small group insurance plan — currently the Regence BlueShield Innova plan — as its benchmark plan for determining its essential benefits.


http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57391330/wash-lawmakers-pass-rules-for-insurance-exchange/
Hat Tip: CBS News