Apple Health + Insurance

Welcome to Washington state!

Do you have health insurance from parents (if under 26) or an out-of-state employer? If so, you can reach out to your insurer to find care in WA.

If not, read on to get insurance coverage in Washington state, which can be a quick process.

There are three main types of insurance in Washington state for adults 19-65 and children.

Plans provided by an employer (even an out-of-state employer).
Washington Apple Health, the Washington state Medicaid plan, for people below a certain income level. You can apply for this at any time of the year.
- There are five “managed care” provider options for Apple Health. The enrollment process is the same and benefits are comparable, just their networks are a bit different. More on that below.
Washington Health Exchange plans for people who do not qualify for Washington Apple Health (Medicaid). You must apply within 60 days after you first arrive in Washington state. Otherwise, you must wait to apply during the annual open enrollment period, from November 1 to January 15. See https://www.wahealthplanfinder.org/us/en/home-page.html

You can apply for both Apple Health and Health Exchange plans through the Washington Health Plan Finder site.

Am I eligible for Apple Health

Your eligibility begins as soon as you enter Washington for residency. No waiting period is necessary after arrival; you will have to wait until you’re actually here, but can and should do it Day 1.
For most childless adults 19-64, see the up-to-date annually-revised requirements here. (April 2024-2025, it was $1,800/month; or just under $21k a year.) Note: your “household” is whoever’s filing taxes together or as a dependent; roommates don’t count unless that applies.
Otherwise for parents, married couples, those under 19, and other groups, see this page, which links to qualifications for different groups.
For most eligibility, you must have been a citizen or legal resident of the US for 5+ years. Not a US Citizen? WA has a limited-availability program called “Apple Health Expansion”

(More info about Apple Health before applying can be found here.)

Applying for Apple Health

How do I apply?

Many people apply online, but there are other options if you need them. You can also apply by mobile app, phone, or in-person.
Enrollment assistance (for any of these methods) is available to those in King County by calling the county Community Health Access Program at 800-756-5437. (Mon-Fri, 8-1pm and 2-5pm.) Elsewhere in the state, check here.
seattleroots.org clinics (Carolyn Downs and Country Doctor) have their own insurance eligibility specialists who work with Apple Health and other insurance types and assistance programs.
An overview of applying for Apple Health is at this page
There are trained healthcare navigators who can explain your options and help you with the application process. This service is free. Click here for a general list of navigators provided by Washington State.

Mail

To apply by mail, an English printable application form is here.

Online

Most people can apply for or renew their Apple Health or Health Exchange coverage online through Washington Healthplanfinder. Customer support is available at 1-855-923-4633.
Those who can apply online at WA Healthplanfinder include:

Adults aged 19 to 64 years old,
Applying for children,
A parent or caretaker applying with children, and/or
Pregnant or applying for someone who is pregnant.

Otherwise: are you Medicare-eligible? (Note: different from Medicaid, AKA Apple Health)

If you are age 65 or older, blind, or legally disabled, or if you need long-term services or support, the Apple Health eligibility and application process are somewhat different. In that case, you can visit this page.

If you are indigenous and a member of a tribe, different options may be available to you.

What you will need to know

When you’re ready to apply, you’ll need to know:

Your household monthly income. No documentation needed, only a number.
Dates of birth for each member of your household.
Social Security numbers (SSN) for each household member applying who has an SSN. Some programs (mostly those expressly for noncitizens) do not require a SSN. For more information visit the SSN eligibility webpage.
An address to receive mail: This can be a temporary space or a friend, it’s just where they send the physical card to. Homeless WA residents are expressly permitted to apply for Apple Health.
- Can’t currently receive mail? Go to the Compass Center in Pioneer Square, they can set you up with mail and other services.
You may need your immigration information, if applicable.

You do NOT need proof of income or address on-hand.

This can be very quick; some folks report it taking as little as ten minutes to complete, though for more complicated situations it can take longer. Approval is usually near-immediate, and you can use coverage immediately after being approved. You will also get a card and information about your plan in the mail within a few weeks.

Picking insurance provider

During sign-up, you will typically need to pick a “managed care” provider (AKA insurance company: Molina, Community Health Plan, Coordinated Care, UHC, or Wellpoint). The actual coverage is largely the same, but mileage varies on plan networks, ease of use, and some extra benefits.

If you need glasses, they’re cheapest on Molina and CHP, and Coordinated Care does contacts as well (see below).
If you have a specific doctor or specialist you like seeing, it can be worth calling to see which of these they take, if any.

Many folks prefer Molina or Coordinated Care, or Community Health Plan. Avoid UHC (🪦) and WellPoint. More info:

Provider “scorecard”
Full “Added Benefits” list
If you don’t have a lot of medical needs but like massages, Community Health Plan covers up to 20 40-minute massages / acupuncture / chiropractic a year. They have a smaller medical provider network than Molina/CC but are the only plan that covers recreational massages and alternative treatments like this. More info here.

If you’re trying to use a specific provider, see our cheat sheet from Medical Care:

Benefits for glasses/contacts:

If you’re not happy, you can also change your plan online anytime after enrollment.

See also this Reference guide / FAQ for managing and using your plan.

If you don’t qualify for Apple Health

If you make too much or are otherwise unqualified for Apple Health, and don’t have insurance through your employer or parents, you will need to pay out-of-pocket for a plan. You can sign up for a health insurance plan through WA Health Exchange via Washington Healthplanfinder.

Healthplanfinder certifies Navigators who can help get you enrolled. In King County, call the Community Health Access Program at 1-800-756-5437, or find an in-person enrollment event.

Anywhere in Washington, Healthplanfinder has a helpline at 1-855-923-4633.

Seattle Roots will provide healthcare to uninsured people, never send bills to collections, and is on a sliding scale. Excellent for Gender Affirming Care.

Neighborcare also offers sliding scale healthcare to uninsured patients.

Dental Insurance

If you’re on Apple Health (Medicaid), Dental coverage is included automatically. More info about this coverage + receiving care can be found here.

Otherwise, Washington has a variety of Dental Health plans available through the Washington Healthplanfinder.

When new Washington residents first move to the state, they can sign up for a new account and apply for health and dental insurance at the same time (as it qualifies as one of the more than 60 special enrollment periods like changing jobs, changes to marital status, new family members, etc). Normal enrollment to change your coverage or providers is from November 1st to Jan 15th.

Trans Legal Protections

Plans for WA residents legally must include trans care. This includes if your employer is out-of-state but you live in WA. The only exception to this is self-funded insurance plans, which some large employers have. For more information about your rights and protections, check this guide.