Unpaid Wash. medical bills near $1 billion per year

By Associated Press

Summary

Washington's insurance commissioner says unpaid medical bills in the state will cost about $1 billion a year by 2011.

Story Published: Nov 19, 2009 at 5:50 PM PST

Story Updated: Nov 19, 2009 at 5:52 PM PST

Unpaid Wash. medical bills near $1 billion per year
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Washington's insurance commissioner says unpaid medical bills in the state will cost about $1 billion a year by 2011.

And many of those costs get passed along to people who do have insurance. Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler says the average family pays about $917 a year in added costs. He calls that a "hidden tax."

A new report from Kreidler also says there will soon be about 1 million Washingtonians without health coverage.

He's advocating for national health care reform, which Republicans and Democrats are busy hashing out in Washington, D.C.


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