OLYMPIA Health insurance rate requests filed for individual and small employer (one to 50 employees) health plans are now public. The complete filings received since July 1, as well as a summary for each request are at www.insurance.wa.gov.

    Several health insurers filed rate requests prior to July 1, but have voluntarily made their filings public. They include: Asuris Northwest Health, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, and Regence BlueShield.

    It was a tough legislative battle, but worth it for consumers, said Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. The public deserves to see whats behind their increasing health insurance costs. For too long, theyve had to simply take our word when rates are justified. Now the public can see the same information we see.

    Kreidler proposed the legislation (HB 1220) making health rates public on behalf of all of the consumers who contact his office, demanding to know whats driving higher health premiums. State law prevented him from sharing the information that insurers submit to justify rate requests even after the rate was approved.

    The new law makes most individual and small employer health insurance rate filings public shortly after theyre received. This includes how much of the requested rate will be spent on:

    Medical claims

    Administrative costs including executive salaries

    Profit

    Also, the public will see if their rate change involves any benefit changes.

    Kreidlers office is building an interactive website where the public can search rate requests, post comments and sign-up to get an e-mail when their health plan files a rate change and when a decision is made. The new site is scheduled to go live early this fall.

    For most families, health insurance is their largest bill next to their mortgage, said Commissioner Kreidler. In todays tough economic climate, people deserve to see where their premium dollars are going.