News Archive

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler will require the 243 employees at his agency to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 18, 2021. The announcement follows Gov. Jay Inslee’s directive to all cabinet-level agencies and request for other state leaders to follow suit. 

“As a doctor and public health expert, I have been encouraging my family, friends and colleagues to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19,” said Kreidler. “I am pleased that 84% of the people at my agency have self-reported being fully vaccinated. Vaccines are the only way we get back…

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Alliance for Shared Health, Inc., which markets itself as a health care sharing ministry, and Shared Health Alliance, acting as its insurance producer, paid fines imposed by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. Both agreed to stop doing insurance business in Washington state unless they follow the registration and licensing processes required by law. 

Alliance for Shared Health paid $80,000 and Christian Discount Alliance, LLC, doing business as Shared Health Alliance, paid $7,500.   

Alliance for Shared Health must notify its remaining…

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has extended two emergency orders. His order requiring health insurers to waive copays and deductibles for any consumer requiring testing for the coronavirus (COVID-19) and his order protecting consumers from receiving surprise bills for lab fees related to medically necessary diagnostic testing for COVID-19 are both extended until Aug. 8, 2021.

Kreidler's order waiving cost-sharing applies to all state-regulated health insurance plans and short-term, limited-duration medical plans. The order on surprise billing applies to both…

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued a data call of 124 auto insurance companies for recent rebates given to policyholders during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Kreidler is requesting claims data for private passenger auto claims from 2016-2020 and how the insurers applied any COVID-19-related refunds in 2020. Responses are due July 30. 

“I want to see what premiums consumers paid during the pandemic and the companies’ claims costs,” said Kreidler. “We know that people drove less and had fewer accidents. If this resulted in fewer claims, then…