Washington state Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer’s newsletter, Patty’s Takes, goes out each quarter. Subscribe here.

Even if you’re not old enough to qualify for Medicare, there’s a good chance someone in your life is. There’s almost 70 million people in the United States enrolled in Medicare, which means Open Enrollment is a big deal for a big portion of the population.

It’s the busiest time of the year for our Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA). Open Enrollment runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 (every year) and we know how overwhelming it can be!

To help simplify a complicated process, my office has developed a new set of tools to use if you want or need to make a change. It’s called the Medicare Jumpstart Toolkit: Seven easy steps you can take to get ready for Open Enrollment. Here’s what’s in it:

• A big envelope to save all your important mail — so you have the details of how your plan is changing.
• A menu of the different types of health plan cards — similar to a diner menu — so you can see the different cards and match yours! Your options will depend on the type of plan you have.
• A chart to help you map out how your plan is changing and what matters to you.
• A simple overview of your options depending on the type of plan you have today.
• Details on how to create an online Medicare account.
• The benefits of using Medicare’s Plan Finder tool.
• And final steps to get ready to talk with a SHIBA volunteer and get enrolled in your new plan!

It’s designed to help walk you through the first steps you need to take before you can compare plans and get enrolled. You can download a version online, request a print copy, or pick up a copy at your local library or senior center. And as always, if you’ve got Medicare questions, you can contact SHIBA.

Continuing the Community Connect program

I was in Spokane on Sept. 10 for a town hall event with Rep. Timm Ormsby (D-Spokane, District 3) and Sen. Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane, District 3) to meet with people, help answer their insurance questions and talk about health and home insurance issues. It was great to get some face-to-face time with people and hear their concerns, and Spokane City Hall was an outstanding host.

We’ll be in Yakima on Thursday, Sept. 25, at the Salvation Army (310 N. 16th Ave.) from 10 a.m. to noon, to discuss Medicare and will have Jumpstart Toolkits on hand. There’s a second event, at the Harmon Center (101 N. 65th Ave.), from 2 to 4 p.m. with OIC staff.

Your vaccines are covered

If you want a COVID-19 vaccine, your health plan must cover it if you are on a plan regulated by the state; several health carriers have also announced that they will cover them through the end of 2026. My blog has more information about vaccines and the West Coast Health Alliance, which ensures preventive care standards in Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii align with key national medical organizations. In this Washington, we believe in making public health decisions based on the best available science, not politics.

Wildfire mitigation work group update

The wildfire mitigation and resiliency standards work group that I’m co-chairing with Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove has held seven meetings, with an eighth to be scheduled for October. A report on the work group’s findings is due to the Legislature in December and you can catch up on all our meetings and presentations slides on our website.

How regulators can impact climate policy

I was on the OIC Answers podcast with guest Jordan Haedtler, a climate financial policy consultant with Climate Cabinet, to discuss how insurance regulators can impact policies to address climate change. We had a great conversation and if you’re into finance, insurance or climate change, I highly recommend it.

Flood Awareness Fridays

My office is working with the Department of Ecology and the Washington Military Department on Flood Awareness Fridays in October. We’ll be sharing information on flood prevention, flood preparation, flood insurance and more — including an OIC Answers podcast episode on the importance of flood insurance, how it’s different than traditional home insurance, and what to look for on a flood map.