in washington, individual health insurance is available for purchase through the washington healthplanfinder marketplace. Health coverage is also available through Medicaid if your household income is at or below 138% of the federal poverty level.
ambetter balanced care 1 is the cheapest silver plan available in 15 of the counties.
Reading: What is the best health insurance in washington state
cheapest health insurance by metal level
individual health insurance in washington state is divided into three different metallic levels: bronze, silver and gold. We research and compare policies offered in every county to identify the most affordable health plan at each metal level.
These are the cheapest policies overall, but plan availability depends on the county you live in. therefore, the following table should be used as an initial starting point to identify a metal level that fits your needs and income.
As you can see, higher metal tiers have higher premiums but lower deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. for example, ambetter secure care 20 has a premium that costs $107 more per month than ambetter essential care 1, but the deductible is $7,850 less expensive.
changes in health insurance rates in washington
Insurance providers set their own rates and then submit the rates to state regulators for approval. By 2022, the average cost of health insurance in Washington across all three tiers increased 2% compared to 2021 rates.
gold is the only metal level that does not see an increase from 2021 to 2022.
find the best health insurance coverage in washington
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The best health insurance coverage for you will depend on your income level and medical needs. In addition to individual health insurance, Washington offers Medicaid coverage through its Apple Health program. In addition, the state has passed legislation that expands Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Before choosing a plan, you should review the premiums and deductibles for each metal tier and decide affordability based on your income and savings. below, we provide an in-depth look at each metal level and break down the situations in which they make the most sense.
start with silver plans
We recommend that you start your search with silver plans, as these policies have moderate premiums and deductibles.
Silver policies are the only health insurance plans that offer cost-sharing reductions if your income is below 250% of the federal poverty level.
A cost-sharing reduction is an added benefit that lowers the amount you pay for copays, coinsurance, and deductibles. For this reason, silver-level policies can sometimes be the most cost-effective plan offered in the health insurance market.
bronze: best for young and healthy people
bronze plans are the cheapest plans offered on the washington healthplanfinder marketplace. Although these plans have a low premium, they have high deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums, making it difficult to meet the coinsurance level.
For this reason, bronze-level policies are best if you’re in good health and want coverage for an extremely expensive unexpected medical expense.
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bronze plans are available to anyone in washington.
gold plans: better if you have high medical expenses
the highest and most expensive tier offered in washington is the gold. These plans are often best if you expect high medical costs during the plan year. in this case, since the deductible is the lowest available, you could reach it quickly and then have access to coinsurance with your health plan provider.
short term medical insurance in washington
Historically, Washington has prohibited the sale of short-term health insurance. however, the state adopted new rules in 2019 that allow insurers to sell short-term health insurance with a maximum coverage of three months. renewals are not allowed.
currently, lifemap assurance company is the only insurer offering short-term health insurance plans in washington.
the best cheap health insurance companies in washington
there are currently 10 health insurance providers in the washington state market:
Although all of these insurance companies sell policies in the state, they may not offer plans in your county. For example, Garfield County residents only have access to policies offered by Lifewise and Coordinated Care.
cheapest silver plan by county
The cost of your health insurance and the policies available will vary depending on the county in which you live. For example, ambetter balanced care 1 has a monthly premium of $433 for a 40-year-old in adams county, but costs only $355 per month for the same person in klickitat county. Below, we’ve identified the cheapest silver policy available for all 39 counties in the state of Washington.
frequently asked questions
methodology
valuepenguin pulled health insurance plans and rates from the washington state healthplanfinder exchange. averages were determined from premiums across a variety of variables, including metal level, age, and county.
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