The number of Washingtonians with no health insurance will soon grow to 1 million, according to a report issued today by Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler.

He also predicts that the cost of uncompensated medical care in the state will reach $1 billion annually by 2011. More details at this link.

"The widespread and growing lack of health insurance in Washington state is hurting families, communities and our state's economy in ways that we can no longer afford to ignore," said Kreidler, now serving his second term as the state's insurance regulator.

In seven years, the total cost of uncompensated care – uncollected medical debts and charity care by hospitals and other health providers – has increased by over 80 percent from $457 million in 2002 to a projected $830 million by the end of this year. Many of these costs are quietly passed on to the insured, the Democrat said, as uncompensated care costs the average insured Washington family $917 a year.

Kreidler's office calculates that 10.9 percent of Pierce County residents do not have health insurance; Thurston County's uninsured rate is 11.8 percent; Mason County reports 12.7 percent and Lewis County is pegged at 12.8 percent.