December 3, 2008 Health Insurance Partnership Cancelled due to State Budget Deficit

Given the current economic uncertainty facing the state, we have been directed not to implement the Health Insurance Partnership (HIP) in January 2009. It doesn't make sense to implement this program when we are unsure we'll have funds to sustain it in the years to come. As you know, it is an exciting, innovative program with remarkable potential and value for small employers and their employees, carriers and producers, and the taxpayers in Washington State.

As you can imagine, the HIP program team is very disappointed by this news. We came so close to implementing a great program. We will spend this week notifying our stakeholders and the public of the cancellation of the HIP. We will also spend some time documenting the program development processes in case we can resurrect the HIP when finances become more stable.

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all the support and guidance we received from our HIP Board Members, out Technical Advisory Committee, our Distribution Team, the HIP-preferred Agents and Brokers and all the many community organizations and individuals who provided us the opportunity to evangelize the value of the HIP.

For more information please see the below message from Steve Hill, Administrator, along with the press release from the Governor's office.

Best regards,

Beth Walter
Program Manager, Health Insurance Partnership

Administrator's Letter to the HIP Board (66.8 KB)

HIP Cancellation FAQs

Why was the HIP cancelled?
The HIP was cancelled due to state budget cuts.

What happens to the the HIP-preferred Agents and Brokers?
The HIP-preferred Agents and Brokers were specially trained to help small employers enroll in the HIP. The HIP is no longer an option for their clients. If the HIP is implemented in the future, the HIP-preferred agent/broker list will be re-established.

What if I registered for one of the December HIP-preferred Agent/Broker Training Sessions?
The HIP-preferred Agent/Broker trainings scheduled in December are cancelled. If you registered for one of the two sessions, you will get a cancellation notice.

Will I still be able to access the HIP website to download reports, etc.?
The information on the HIP website will be archived but you may submit a request for information.

What are other options for Health Care Coverage?

Basic Health - a state-sponsored program providing low-cost health care coverage through private health plans.

Medicaid - a program funded by the federal and state governments, which pays for medical care for those who can't afford it.