Around the PIA Western Alliance States – Week of June 1, 2026

Idaho — Insurance Agent Sentenced for Forging Consumer Signatures: The Idaho Department of Insurance (DOI) announced that Tyger Richman of Pocatello has pleaded guilty to one felony count of insurance fraud.

Richman, a former agent with AFLAC insurance company, submitted multiple unauthorized insurance policies. An investigation conducted by the DOI’s Fraud Unit found that Richman forged consumers’ signatures on policy documents to obtain commissions. The consumers did not request or authorize the policies.

On May 13, 2026, Richman was sentenced in Jerome County to three years in prison. The court suspended the sentence in favor of three years of supervised probation. As part of the judgment, Richman is required to serve four days in jail, complete 40 hours of community service, and pay restitution and fines.

“Insurance fraud is a serious betrayal of the trust Idahoans place in licensed agents,” said Dean L. Cameron, Director of the Idaho Department of Insurance. “When an agent forges signatures and exploits consumers for personal gain, it damages confidence in the entire industry. The Department will continue to pursue these cases aggressively to protect Idaho families and ensure that dishonest behavior has real consequences.”

The Idaho Department of Insurance encourages consumers to review their insurance documents and report any suspicious or unauthorized activity at doi.idaho.gov or by calling the insurance fraud hotline at 1-866-939-7226.

Washington — OIC's new website wins 2026 ClearMark Award: The Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner has won a 2026 ClearMark Award for our website redesign. The award from the Center for Plain Language recognizes the OIC’s commitment to ensuring the public can easily find clear, trustworthy, and accessible insurance information and services in Washington state.

“This website redesign was a tremendous undertaking, and I’m excited to see that hard work recognized,” said Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer. “Our website is the first impression for many people that interact with our agency, so it’s critical that it is accessible and serves diverse audiences.”

The award, which the OIC shares with consultant Anthro-Tech, recognizes outstanding plain language work. It’s presented in partnership with the Institute for Healthcare Advancement (IHA) as part of the Health Literacy Conference.

Judges commented, “This site is a wonderful example of what thoughtful writing and design can bring to complicated subjects. It is clear that the creators spent time planning for, developing, and testing this site and felt a responsibility to serve their audience(s) with care.”

The OIC’s redesigned website launched in April 2025, following a two-year redesign effort focused on user research, accessibility, and simplified navigation. Each year, the site receives more than 1 million visits and supports high-traffic services including consumer complaint submissions, company filings, producer licensing, rate and form filings, rulemaking, and consumer education.

Other 2026 winners include the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), Maximus, Coforma, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, Health Literacy Media, and more

Washington — Thirteen health insurers request average 22.4% rate increase for 2027 individual market: Thirteen health insurance companies have requested an average rate change of 22.4% for Washington state’s 2027 individual health insurance market. Insurers base requested rate changes on assumptions made about the services their policyholders will use and the cost to deliver that care.

“I know the requested rate changes will be difficult for individuals and families,” said Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer. “We’re going to spend the next several months reviewing every assumption made by the insurers to make sure their requests are justified.”

Fourteen insurance companies offered individual plans last year. One of those plans — Providence Health Plan, which had 254 enrollees — will not offer coverage in 2027.

More than 280,000 people in Washington do not receive health insurance through their employer and must buy coverage from the individual market. Nearly 250,000 of them shopped through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange last year. That figure was down 13% from 2025 after Congress failed to renew the Enhanced Advanced Premium Tax credits.

Ninety percent of people buying plans through the Exchange were in a Cascade Care plan in 2026, up from 79% in 2025. Cascade Care plans (standard plans) give Washingtonians a better alternative to health plans with high out-of-pocket costs and a low number of covered services. Cascade Care Savings (state premium assistance) is available through the Exchange for households at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level.

The Office of the Insurance Commissioner is currently reviewing the requested changes and will complete its review in September, before open enrollment in November.

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