Washington State ‘Public Option’ Health Plan Faces Pushback

A Washington state-sponsored health insurance plan intended to be a step toward universal health care while lowering consumer costs is facing resistance from providers and hospitals that are hemorrhaging revenue because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Cascade Care plan would offer standardized benefits on the individual market beginning in January 2021 through the state’s online insurance exchange. The plan seeks to contain costs by capping reimbursement to providers at an average of 160% of Medicare rates.