Around the PIA Western Alliance States – Week of September 14, 2026

California — EMR Registration is NOW OPEN: Registration for the California Residential Mitigation Program’s (CRMP) Earthquake Multi-Unit Retrofit (EMR) grant program is now open through September 30, 2026.

Eligible owners of 5–10 unit multi-story residential properties in participating cities may receive up to $49,600 toward a full ground floor seismic retrofit. For property owners facing a city retrofit mandate, this financial assistance can help make completing the required work more manageable.



As a community leader, influencer, elected or non-elected official, housing professional, or trusted local voice, please help strengthen your community by connecting property owners with EMR and the resources they need to get started.

FREE EMRTools You Can Share.

CRMP has created read-to-share resources for your newsletters, social media, websites, email outreach and community meetings on EMRtools including:

Program Overview: A quick introduction to EMR and the grant opportunity.

Property Owner Buck Slip: An easy handout to share directly with property owners.

Animated Social Media Ads: Engaging content to help spread the word.

And More: Additional resources to promote EMR registration.

Share EMR Registration!

Help spread the word. Help property owners take action. Even if a property's city-mandated retrofit deadline has passed, the owner may still qualify for an EMR grant.

You don't have to be the expert. You can be the connection.

Questions? Contact our customer service team at (877) 232-4300 or email us at info@crmp.org.



Oregon — Carriers offering health benefit plans in Oregon: The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) proposes to issue a bulletin regarding Coverage of Doula Services under ORS 743A.081 between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2027.

Purpose:

To clarify the department’s expectations for reimbursement of doula services provided between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2027.

Public comments requested:

Public comment will be accepted for 30 days. Please submit public comment to DFR.Bulletin@dcbs.oregon.gov.

Last day for public comment: Monday, October 12, 2026. Comments must be received by ​5 ​p.m.

Click here to review proposed bulletin:

https://bit.ly/4xtPpAd

Washington — Average 22.2% rate increase approved for Washington’s 2027 Exchange health insurance market: Twelve health insurers have been approved to sell individual health plans in Washington’s Exchange in 2027.

Insurance companies requested a 22.4% rate change, and 22.2% was found to be actuarially justified. Health insurers base their rate changes, in part, on what they expect to happen to their costs in the future — including how many people they expect to cover, their age and their health status, and how much they expect the costs of health care services to increase.

The uptick in 2027 is due mainly to an increase in the basic costs of health care and more robust health care needs among the people covered by individual health plans.

The Insurance Commissioner is required by law to approve rate increases when insurance companies can prove the change is justified.

“This is, unfortunately, a reflection of the increasing cost of care,” Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer said. “Families shouldn’t experience sticker shock every year when shopping for health insurance, but these pressures are likely to continue without changes that slow health care spending, improve affordability and keep more people covered.”

Kuderer’s actuarial staff identified four main factors driving the increase, based on companies’ rate filings:

Healthcare organizations are charging more for services and prescription drugs.

Members are using more healthcare services and shifting towards higher-cost services.

People who have left, or are expected to leave, the market tend to be healthier than those who keep their coverage. This leads to higher average health care needs.

The expiration of the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits makes coverage less affordable, which prompts healthier people — those less likely to need health services — to drop their coverage. Losing these members raises the average costs of covering those who stay.

The plans and their rates will be reviewed for certification by the Washington Health Benefit Exchange Board at its Thursday, Sept. 10 meeting.

People who don’t receive health coverage through their employer shop for a health plan on the individual health insurance market. This also includes self-employed people and early retirees. Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees also rely on the Exchange to provide health coverage for their workers.

Fourteen insurers offered individual plans for 2026. Providence Health Plan, which covered 254 enrollees, will not offer coverage in 2027.

Asuris Northwest Health, which requested a 14.9% increase, only offers its plans outside of the Exchange. Its rate has yet to be approved.

Nearly 250,000 Washington residents bought individual health plans through Washington’s Exchange, wahealthplanfinder.org, in 2026 — 13% fewer than a year before. It was the largest drop in enrollment since 2012, due in part to Congress’ failure to extend the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits late last year. Those credits had helped cut enrollees’ average annual premium costs by $1,330.

Source link: Washington Department of Insurance — https://bit.ly/46ZuASb

Washington — Prepublication draft posted for clarifying adverse notification requirements rulemaking: The Office of the Insurance Commissioner released a prepublication draft for the adverse notification requirements rule. The insurance commissioner is considering amending WAC 284-30-770 to ensure insurers include their contact information in adverse notifications and to revise references to appeal rights that do not apply to all insurance policies. These changes would reduce consumer confusion, facilitate timely claim assistance, and promote clear, accurate, and consistent communication between insurers and consumers. 

For more information, please read the prepublication draft and visit the rule webpage. To learn more about participating in our rulemaking process, sign up for our notifications.

The comment period for the prepublication draft began on September 11, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. and is open until September 25, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Please send comments to rulescoordinator@oic.wa.gov.