Head of Washington health exchange to step down

SEATTLE (AP) — The man who has led the Washington health insurance exchange since its inception in 2012 has announced he will be stepping down at the end of the month.

Richard Onizuka says his goal has been to establish a health insurance marketplace that best served the people of Washington. Now that the exchange has helped hundreds of thousands of people get health insurance, he's ready to step aside.

Health Exchange Board Chairman Ron Sims says the organization's chief of staff, Pam MacEwan, will step in as CEO in September.

Before becoming exchange CEO, Onizuka worked for Gov. Chris Gregoire on health care policy and helped write the exchange's establishment legislation.

He has not announced what he plans to do next.