The surging health care costs in Washington state are coming under scrutiny as Dana Christiansen, the owner of Tree Hill Learning Center, joined Senator Maria Cantwell on Monday to highlight the challenges faced by child care providers and families.
Their joint appearance at the child care center on Southeast 196th Avenue underscores a growing concern in the community regarding the impact of soaring health insurance premiums.
According to Washington’s Insurance Commissioner, 14 health insurers are requesting significant rate increases for the next year, with an average hike of 21.2 percent. The proposed increases vary widely, from 9.6 percent to as high as 37.3 percent.
These changes are expected to affect approximately 300,000 residents statewide, raising alarms about the affordability of health care in the region.
Christiansen expressed her ongoing struggle with rising health care costs for her two Vancouver child care facilities. “Each year, I face a difficult decision of how much of the rate hikes — currently at 24 percent — do I take on and absorb,
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