With State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler stepping down, the Office of Insurance Commissioner is an open seat for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century. Two state senators are campaigning to fill that seat: Democrat Patty Kuderer and Republican Phil Fortunato. They come to the position with starkly different platforms and priorities, even definitions of the role of the office.
One of the many issues on which they differ? Universal health care, and a single payer system. While the insurance commissioner can’t create such policy, they can choose to advocate for it.
Kuderer: “You’re not going to get there overnight, that’s for sure, it’s going to take steps to get there, but every research paper I’ve read on health care says that’s the way to save the most money, is to have a single payer system.”
Fortunato: “I jokingly say, if Washington went to a single payer system, where would the Canadians go for health care? I mean, everybody knows it doesn’t work. And the estimate is $27 billion dollars.”
The candidates strongly disagree on Kuderer’s proposal to require gun owners to carry liability insurance. One issue on which they agree: the consumer protection role of the insurance commissioner’s office, advocating for policy holders when issues arise with their insurance company.
Learn more about this very important but often overlooked state office, this week on Inside Olympia.
