SPR s Steve Jackson reports.
Tuesday is the final day to enroll in health care plans for next year through the state exchanges in Washington and Idaho. So far in Washington, the enrollment is up 5 percent over this time last year.
Michael Marchand of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange says the Covid pandemic is playing a role in that, with many people needing coverage after losing a job or having their hours reduced.
“We have a different person who is now entering the exchange who maybe has never used it, who understands how important health insurance is right now, who wants to keep that coverage for whatever period of time they re going to need it for, until their life gets back to normal, Marchand said.