Washington state will implement a first-of-its-kind health plan on the state insurance exchange that will be open to any resident who wants to buy it.
Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signed into law May 13 SB 5526, codifying the program dubbed Cascade Care. Inslee, a presidential candidate, said when he rolled out the proposal in January that it would be a “significant step to the goal of universal coverage in the state of Washington.”
Inslee’s approach threads a politically pragmatic needle by providing a public option through a hybrid approach that includes private insurers. That allows the state to avoid ...