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How federal changes impact Washingtonian’s health coverage
By Venice Buhain, story published 11/09/2026
Open enrollment for 2027 on the Washington Health Benefit Exchange is open and in the past few years, federal changes have made big impacts to health coverage accessibility in Washington state.
The first is the cuts to Medicaid, which provides health coverage for about 1.5 million adults and children in Washington state. Those cuts were included in what Trump called the One Big Beautiful Bill, which passed in 2025. Another is the continued impact of the loss of tax credits for people who purchase insurance through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange.
Recently, Sen. Patty Murray held a press conference to address these changes and how it will affect people as they sign up for health insurance in open enrollment.
“We've been knowing this coming. I've been talking to doctors and providers and health care clinics and hospitals all over our state about what that was going to mean to them. And now we are going to see the impact on people's health insurance when they pay for them,” Murray said.
The press conference was held a few days before the election.
At the press conference, Washington Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer added that on top of the loss of tax credits for marketplace health insurance, premiums are also rising, with an average increase of 22%.
“Nearly 280,000 people buy health coverage here if they don't get insurance through their employer, and most do so through our own state-based exchange,” Kuderer said.
“And today, many people are feeling the sticker shock of the increased premiums.”
Murray said addressing health care costs would be one priority for Democrats in Congress.
“When we get back, we have to make sure that we work to reinstate the tax credits and fight to take these Medicaid cuts back,” she said.
