Washington state Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer continued her Community Connect program on Sept. 10 in Spokane, hosting a town hall with a pair of state legislators to cap a day of public outreach.

Kuderer invited Rep. Timm Ormsby (D-Spokane, District 3) and Sen. Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane, District 3) to share the stage during the event, which was held at Spokane City Hall.

The panel discussed the rising cost of health care during the discussion, which was held hours after a 21% average rate change was approved for insurers offering plans on the 2026 individual health insurance market. That change applies to about 300,000 people in the state purchasing insurance on the state exchange, though it’s estimated that 80,000 people will forgo coverage if enhanced tax credits aren’t renewed at the federal level.

The three elected officials also discussed how wildfire risk impacts home insurance. Prices jumped in 2023 and 2024, with coverage becoming harder to find in some pockets of the state due to the increased risk from wildfires.

The town hall featured a 20-minute segment with questions from the audience, focusing mainly on the importance of rural health care providers and challenges maintaining home insurance in areas at risk of wildfire.

Kuderer and members of her office’s Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors also hosted an event the morning of Sept. 10 to help people prepare for Medicare Open Enrollment, which runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. Visit the OIC website to learn more about Medicare and order a new Medicare Open Enrollment Jumpstart Toolkit.