Insurance

Cantwell: Medicare AI initiative hurting seniors

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 21:00:00 -0400

A report from a member of Washington state’s congressional delegation is blasting the Trump administration for an AI pilot program that significantly increased wait times for seniors to receive health care and has prioritized care denials over a patient’s doctor’s recommendation.

Sunnyside to pay $1.1M over unlawful evictions

ty@tcjournal.biz — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 21:00:00 -0500

The city of Sunnyside will compensate residents after its police officers ordered them to leave or be removed from their homes without notice or due process under a settlement with the Washington Attorney General’s Office.

WA fines Regence Blue Shield $550K over shortfalls with mental health coverage

jgoldsteinstreet@washingtonstatestandard.com — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Washington state is fining health insurance giant Regence Blue Shield over half a million dollars for disparities between its mental health and medical coverage.

Measure to allow investment of WA Cares tax dollars in stock market on track for approval

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 12:58:04 -0500

Voters were giving the go-ahead Tuesday for the state to make stock market investments with payroll taxes collected for Washington’s new long-term care program.

Get ready for Medicare open enrollment with this toolkit

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 12:00:00 -0400

Medicare open enrollment is just around the corner. Get ready for a flurry of commercials and mail – all promoting the “best plan for you!” If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone.

Financial woes, tax questions dog WA family, medical leave program

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 21:00:00 -0400

Washington state’s paid family and medical leave program is facing challenges on multiple fronts, from solvency issues to unexpected tax liabilities for workers and employers.

These are the most-stolen vehicles in Washington. Is yours on the list?

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 17:47:40 -0400

The National Insurance Crime Bureau has released vehicle theft trend data for 2022, including the most-stolen types of vehicles in Washington.

Auto theft is a costly crime, but there are ways to protect yourself and help lessen the damage, insurance experts said.

The Top 10 most stolen list for Washington includes vehicle...

Lawmakers tackle several women’s health issues related to insurance coverage

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 14:45:18 -0400

Bills would require employers to pay for abortions, contraceptivesThe debate took four years to hit the Washington Senate floor in early February.The topic was a bill by Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens, to require an employer that provides health insurance to include contraceptive and abortion coverage at no extra cost...

Entrepreneur aims to help business owners retain, attract workers

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 14:39:35 -0400

Owner of Kennewick’s In4ormed Benefits Solutions says more clients seeking to offer ancillary benefitsFor as long as Jolene Johnson can remember, she’s had an entrepreneurial spirit.In high school, she worked alongside her parents at the RV park they owned on Snoqualmie Pass, but she learned quickly that she loved helping...

How to protect against attractive nuisances to avoid liability

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 14:37:06 -0400

By Beau RuffIf you’ve ever driven past an abandoned house with rusted play equipment in plain sight and thought that it looked like a dangerous trap for unwary children, then you intuitively know about the concept of an “attractive nuisance.” Beau Ruff,Cornerstone Wealth StrategiesLandowners owe a duty to those who...

Pet health insurance could be money saver for furry friends

Wed, 15 Mar 2017 13:38:30 -0400

Three years ago, Perla Zepeda’s family lost a beloved family member. Their dog, Sandy, had swallowed an unknown object, causing internal damage. She was rushed to an emergency veterinary hospital in Yakima, but doctors couldn’t save her.“We grieved for about three months,” Zepeda said.They also faced more than $1,000 in...

Irrevocable life insurance trust can be effective planning strategy for business owners

Wed, 15 Mar 2017 13:35:22 -0400

By Beau RuffBusiness owners are particularly sensitive to cash flow and liquidity needs. This can be especially true of the business owner’s estate after death. The estate needs cash to continue business operations and to pay potential estate taxes. Life insurance can be an effective planning strategy for business owners...

Homeowner’s insurance might not cover theft from storage units

Wed, 15 Mar 2017 13:32:15 -0400

By Sean BassingerBelongings stashed inside self-storage units may not be covered by homeowner or renter insurance policies if anything gets stolen or damaged.Policies that cover items at off-site storage units may have limits in place as well, according to the state Office of the Insurance Commissioner.It’s good information to find...

Special criminal investigations unit takes aim at insurance fraud

Wed, 15 Mar 2017 13:29:25 -0400

Ten percent of all insurance claims are fraudulent. And 10 percent of the cost of all premiums is due to fraud.This number is likely to increase as insurance fraud cases continue to grow, said Mark Couey, director of the Criminal Investigations Unit at the state Office of the Insurance Commissioner.[blockquote...

Washington’s partnership with insurance agencies strengthens long-term care policies

Tue, 15 Mar 2016 16:21:40 -0400

In their mid-20s, at a time when Todd and Daydra Bauman’s biggest worry should have been paying off student loan debt or saving up for their first home, the couple faced the unthinkable. A rare illness debilitated the 27-year-old Daydra.“A normal body can detect what’s good and what’s bad,” said...

Pasco’s IFC Insurance celebrates 45 years in business

Tue, 15 Mar 2016 16:17:34 -0400

The Williams family has been watching out for wellbeing of Tri-Citians for 45 years.In 1971, John R. “Jack” Williams founded Insurance and Financial Consultants, Inc., selling life insurance, annuities, investment products, health insurance and employee benefit packages.He’d already been an insurance agent for several years, working for State Farm Insurance.“But...

Renters at risk if they forego Renters Insurance

Tue, 15 Mar 2016 16:06:10 -0400

If your rented home or apartment is destroyed by fire, or all of your possessions are stolen by thieves, will be relieved that you are protected by Renters Insurance or left with few good options because you didn’t purchase it?In Washington state, about 47 percent of all residents rent a...

Kaiser Permanente seeks to acquire Group Health

Tue, 15 Mar 2016 16:03:05 -0400

Kaiser Permanente and Group Health Cooperative have signed a definitive agreement in December for Kaiser to acquire the Seattle-Based Group Health for $1.8 billion.Group Health is one of the three largest health insurers in Washington state, with more than 518,000 policy holders, 17.5 percent of the market and a surplus...