OPEN ENROLLMENT from November 1st to December 15th for a January 1st start date
There are not many changes for 2027 hospital networks, yet always good to check your doctor networks. Please read this entire blog post for the most direct and up-to-date information and how it may impact you. Feel free to reach out anytime if you have any questions. If you have questions for us please call or text 425-802-2783, email us at [email protected] or schedule a time on our calendar. The one thing changing the most are prices increasing by about 22% on average.
YouTube Video of Individual Health Insurance changes for 2027
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All Bronze Plans on the WA Exchange are now HSA (Health Savings Account) eligible. If you purchase one of these plans, you can contribute additional tax-deductible dollars to a separate HSA checking account. For 2027, the single-person limit is $4,500 per year, or for a Household, the limit is $9,000. If you are between the ages of 55 and 64, you can contribute an additional $1,000 per year per household. This money is tax-deductible and pays out tax-free for ONLY qualified medical expenses (excluding monthly premium payments). We cannot provide accounting advice, so please consult with your tax preparer to determine if this is correct for your specific situation.
Average Rate Increase in 2027 = 22%
AM Better = 28%
Regence = 9%
Premera = 24%
LifeWise = 21%
Kaiser Permanente = 14%
United Healthcare = 38%
Molina Marketplace = 28%
Below is a brief commentary on the carriers and the network changes
AM Better: The good news is that they will still be the lowest-cost provider, as they are increasing slightly less than the average plan. Those getting tax credits should see prices stay about the same. No real changes in the networks for the most part. Overall, AM Better is a good carrier; however, it may not be ideal if you require a mental health provider, a dermatologist, or access to a variety of independent doctors. They have a small network of independent doctors, which is why they offer a lower-cost plan compared to Premera and Regence, with costs often half of those of their competitors.
Regence: Most carriers are increasing premiums by a significantly greater amount than Regence in 2027. They mainly cover Swedish/Providence as the main hospital network in the greater Seattle area. One positive note is that Regence covers Polyclinic (which is part of Optum). Regence has in-network coverage in WA, OR, ID, and Utah. Also has Urgent Care coverage anywhere in the USA in the Bluecard PPO network.
Premera: At this point, the Premera plans are so expensive that the only reason to stay on this plan is if your expensive medication is covered better here, or you have ongoing medical issues that you need to see specific doctors. Still a good carrier, but the only remaining customers are those who utilize a significant amount of medical coverage. Premera Individual plans will cover Swedish/Providence, UW, Evergreen, Overlake, Virginia Mason, CHI, and MultiCare.
LifeWise: For those in King County, Lifewise pulling out of the market (Regence has a similar hospital and doctor network). The good news with LifeWise is that it is not changing its network, so most things will remain similar, and it is a good option overall. LifeWise is owned by Premera, yet it mainly covers only Swedish, Providence, and CHI Franciscan systems (excluding the old Virginia Mason facilities). Both LifeWise and Regence will have a similar hospital network for 2026.
United Healthcare: UHC is increasing in price a fair amount, yet it is still cheaper than Premera. They are best if you mainly want to go to Polyclinic, as the only other carriers they accept are Premera and Regence. They have a much larger network, covering most of the hospitals, including the University of Washington, Virginia Mason, CHI, Evergreen, Overlake, and MultiCare. The network for psychologists and independent doctors is good, yet Premera and Regence are probably slightly larger individual doctor networks. Overall, UHC has a good network of independent doctors. In 2027 UHC will not provide coverage outside the USA even for emergencies. You can always purchase a travel plan, but they often have limited coverage. If you plan to be outside the USA for a significant amount of time, you should probably choose another carrier.
Kaiser Permanente: Kaiser is an HMO system where you must go to Kaiser facilities unless you need to go to an Emergency Room. Since Kaiser does not have its own hospital system, it allows you to go to any hospital for emergencies; however, you still need to visit their facilities for regular and specialist visits. Overall, the Kaiser plans are not cheap, as they are on the higher end of the cost spectrum for plans. You would mainly keep Kaiser if you also want to visit other Kaiser facilities in-network in California, Oregon, Colorado, Hawaii, and Virginia. Also, for those self employed, they technically dont cover on the job injuries for self employed people.
Molina Marketplace: Molina is a low-cost carrier similar to Ambetter, but slightly more expensive. They both have a small network of independent doctors. The primary reason to choose a Molina plan is if you wish to visit Valley Medical Center in Renton or University of Washington facilities, as AM Better does not cover these hospital systems. NOTE: Molina Marketplace plans do not cover ANY medical expenses outside the USA. You can always purchase a travel plan, but they often have limited coverage. If you plan to be outside the USA for a significant amount of time, you should probably choose another carrier.
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Gary Franke, Tamara Chandler, Brianna Crawford & Melissa Tibbs
Heffernan Insurance Brokers
Individual Health & Medicare Specialists
1100 Bellevue Way NE, Ste 8A-545
Bellevue, WA 98004
425-802-2783 (call or text office line)
[email protected]
www.wahealthplan.org
