News Archive

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is hosting a virtual Climate Summit on Oct. 7, 2020 to highlight the latest science, best practices being deployed in the private sector, and regulatory approaches to combating climate change. 

Climate Summit 2020 is half-day event and is free and open to the public. 

The keynote speaker is Fawn R. Sharp, president of the Quinault Indian Nation, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and the National Congress of American Indians. 

President Sharp is also a member of the We Are Still In Leaders…

OLYMPIA, Wash. – People who have lost their employer-sponsored health insurance should be extremely cautious when considering offers that promise great coverage for bargain-basement premiums, said Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. They should watch out for websites posing as the state’s official health insurance marketplace or exchange, Washington Healthplanfinder. 

Kreidler’s office and the Washington Health Benefit Exchange are hearing from consumers who have been duped by bogus websites when looking for health insurance. Some of these sites are tricking people into…

OLYMPIA, Wash. – A fraud investigation launched by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU) in 2017 resulted in a federal prosecution of an Oregon woman who defrauded six health insurers of $1.3 million. 

Saffron Gustafson, 43, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Gustafson was also ordered to pay more than $1.3 million in restitution to the victim insurance plans and more than $99,000 in unpaid federal taxes. She pleaded guilty in November 2019 to charges of health care fraud and tax evasion.

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler extended his emergency order again, directing all state-regulated health insurers to make additional coverage changes to aid consumers during the coronavirus pandemic. His order is in effect until Oct. 14 and requires health insurers to: