Washington: WA Health Benefit Exchange reminds residents they have less than a week to enroll for coverage

via the Washington HealthBenefit Exchange:

Apply by Jan. 15 for health and dental insurance with state and federal savings for those who qualify

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Amid federal uncertainty, including the loss of enhanced premium tax credits (ePTCs), more than 278,000 Washingtonians have signed up for health and dental insurance for 2026 through Washington Healthplanfinder. One week remains for Washington residents to visit wahealthplanfinder.org or work with a trusted resource in their community to find out what health and dental insurance options are available for this new year. The deadline for this year’s open enrollment is Jan. 15, for coverage that starts on Feb. 1.

“While fewer people qualify for federal tax credits this year, actions made by Washington state have protected many of our customers from the doubling and tripling of premiums seen nationwide. We strongly encourage everyone who needs coverage this year to visit wahealthplanfinder.org and take a look at the plans that are available,” Washington Health Benefit Exchange CEO Ingrid Ulrey said. “With our state premium assistance program, Cascade Care Savings, and new plans, many of our customers have been surprised by what they find and able to secure coverage within their budget.”

Customers can shop, compare and select a plan at wahealthplanfinder.org, call the Exchange Customer Support Center at 1-855-923-4633 (TTY: 1-855-627-9604) for remote support in multiple languages or connect with a trusted resource in their community by visiting Support in Your Area.

Washington Healthplanfinder’s Customer Support Center has extended hours during open enrollment. The center is open from 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m., Monday through Friday; closed on the weekends and holidays. The following adjustments were made to the center’s schedule; extended hours are subject to change:

• Thursday, Jan. 15: 7:30 a.m. – midnight
• Monday, Jan. 19 (MLK Jr. Day): Closed

A couple of additional notes:

• While the official start date for anyone enrolling by January 15th is February 1st, WA residents can actually request retroactive coverage starting January 1st thanks to an emergency Special Enrollment Period:

Due to the extreme weather, which caused the governor to issue an emergency declaration, Washington Health Benefit Exchange will allow customers who missed the Dec. 15 deadline to sign up for Jan. 1 coverage given the significant (and ongoing) statewide disruption. 

On Dec. 10, Gov. Bob Ferguson issued a statewide emergency declaration due to the flooding, wind damage, mudslides and power outages in the state of Washington. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner issued their own emergency order to insurance carriers about payment time periods. 

State-based exchanges have the ability to adjust coverage start dates in the face of circumstances such as natural disasters.

To qualify, customers will need to request a retroactive start date (Jan. 1, 2026) and will be granted one if they make the request before Jan. 15, 2026. Customer support (Phone: 1-855-923-4633; TTY/TDD: 1-855-627-9604) can create a retroactive start date for these customers. Customers can also connect with their broker or navigator for support.

• The 278,000 enrollee figure may be misleading, since the phrasing states that it includes health and dental insurance. Last year's final OEP enrollment tally for medical insurance alone was 308,227 people.

• The bit in the press release about "actions made...have protected many of our customers from the doubling and tripling of premiums" isn't just rhetoric--Washington is one of three states (the other two being Illinois & Arkansas) which have newly implemented robust Premium Alignment policies to make Gold plans cost less than Silver plans on average.