We are delighted to report that the 10th open enrollment period for the Washington Health Benefit Exchange (Exchange) exceeded expectations and resulted in a record number of Washingtonians with lower-cost health care coverage. NoHLA and other advocacy groups have long-supported the delivery of affordable health care through the Exchange and assisted in the implementation of Cascade Care Savings to help reduce the cost of premiums for Washington residents who earn less than 250% FPL. The latest enrollment numbers show more than 147,000 people (64% of enrollees) are in a Cascade Care plan, up from 78,000 (33% of enrollees) in 2022 and thousands of Washingtonians now have access to affordable health care. Of those enrolled through the Exchange, 76% have lower monthly premiums due to state and federal subsidies: 83,000 pay $100 or less per month; 43,000 pay $25 or less per month; and 34,000 pay $10 or less per month.

The Exchange reported approximately 1.3 million people signed up for a qualified health plan (QHP), an increase of 13% compared to 2022 and 11% more people were found to be eligible for Apple Health (Medicaid)/CHIP. In a recent blog post, Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy commended Washington’s Cascade Care for its “meaningful progress” and said it offers lessons to help other states implement their own public option programs.