A key milestone for implementing Cascade Care has been reached. The Health Care Authority (HCA) announced that five carriers have been selected as apparently successful bidders to offer public option health plans next year: Bridgespan, Community Health Network of Washington, Coordinated Care, LifeWise, and United Healthcare. Public option health plans are qualified health plans, offered on Healthplanfinder, that have a standard benefit design and meet additional quality and value requirements.
With these five carriers selected, the next steps are for the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) to review and approve the health plan filings, HCA to negotiate and review final contracts, and the Health Benefit Exchange (HBE) to certify the health plans. Consumers will be able to enroll in public option health plans starting on November 1, 2020, with coverage starting on January 1, 2021. For more information, please visit the HBE website. (ShirleyP@wsha.org)
