Grays Harbor County residents will continue to have a single health insurer, Premera Blue Cross, offering nine plans for the state’s individual market in 2019, according to Mike Kreidler, State Insurance Commissioner.

Pacific County will lose a provider, Lifewise Health Plan of Washington, but will still be offered the same plans under Premera Blue Cross in 2019 as were available this year.

At this time last year, Grays Harbor County was among two counties — Klickitat was the other — that initially had no option for indivual health insurance. Kreidler and his staff reached out to the insurers to see if any would reconsider and Premera Blue Cross stepped in to cover Grays Harbor County and Bridgespan and Molina covered Klickitat County.

All told, health insurers filed 88 health plans for Washington state’s individual market May 24, and all 39 counties will be covered in 2019.

“We can all breathe a sigh of relief knowing consumers in every county who need coverage will have access to a health plan in 2019,” said Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. “Obviously, how much premiums may change and any increases to out-of-pocket costs are still key concerns, but I’m grateful that we can assure people that coverage is available, regardless of where they live.”

The proposed rate changes are not public until 10 days after the Office of the Insurance Commissioner has determined the filings are complete. Release of the proposed rate changes is targeted for June 4.

This year, Premera made assurances it was prepared to offer coverage should any county be without an individual health insurer for 2019. About 300,000 people in Washington buy their own individual health insurance coverage, according to Kreidler’s statement. Most work for employers who don’t offer health insurance, are self-employed or are early retirees.

Kreidler’s office will review all proposed health plans and their proposed rate changes over the next several months with decisions coming in the fall.