Health plan operators that intend to sell individual coverage in Washington state this fall ...

... have proposed an average rate increase of 13.5%, the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance reported May 16. Thirteen carriers collectively filed 154 individual health plans for 2017 coverage to be sold inside and outside of the Washington Healthplanfinder exchange. Nine of the 13 insurers intend to sell individual plans inside the exchange, and four will sell only outside of it. Premera Blue Cross, which seeks to sell coverage only outside of the exchange, asked to boost its rates by 20%. Coordinated Care, a subsidiary of Centene Corp., is seeking the lowest percentage increase at 7.4%. UnitedHealthcare of Washington will leave the state's individual market in 2017, and Moda withdrew in January. Both insurers sold plans statewide. Two other statewide insurers, Premera and Lifewise, intend to stop marketing outside of the exchange and will reduce the number of counties where they will offer plans, according to the state's insurance commissioner.