On September 9, 2026, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner of Washington State announced approval of an average 22.2 percent rate increase for health insurance carriers selling individual plans on the state exchange for plan year 2027.
Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer emphasized that state regulators possess narrow statutory authority to reject rate filings when insurers demonstrate actuarial justification under state financial solvency rules.
When these subsidies expired, healthier individuals who face lower medical risks opted to drop their coverage rather than absorb the entire unsubsidized monthly cost.
Regence BlueShield received the lowest approved increase among major carriers at 6.7 percent for its 16,016 enrolled policyholders, down from an initial 8.6 percent request.
Murray warned that declining enrollment in individual markets directly harms hospital systems across Washington, where healthcare facilities face an estimated $160 million reduction in funding and a 5.6 percent increase in uncompensated care costs.
Washington insurance regulators approve an average 22.2 percent rate hike for 2027 individual health plans, impacting 281,055 residents as expired federal subsidies destabilize risk pools.