Health insurance premiums to rise for WA small businesses by about 12%

Health insurance costs in Washington for small businesses and their employees will increase an average of 11.9% in 2025, according to the state Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

This marks the highest increase for small employers in the last decade.

Nearly 220,000 people will be affected by the new rates starting in January. Ten insurers were approved to sell group plans to small employers, with the largest increase going to Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon at 21.9%, impacting around 6,000 people.

“Health insurance costs have been the number one problem for small businesses for 38 years running, and these increases will only make it worse,” said Patrick Connor, Washington state director for the National Federation of Independent Business.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/10/21/health-insurance-premiums-to-rise-for-wa-small-businesses-by-about-12/