How To Get Health Insurance in Washington State

Navigating available health-care options and premiums can be a bit overwhelming. If you are in Washington State and you need to get health insurance for your family, it is not as difficult as it might seem. Washington State has some programs in place that are designed to help out families in need. The programs are for both families that cannot afford normal health-insurance premiums and families that can only afford low-cost insurance. There are also individual health-insurance plans available in each county of Washington State.

Instructions

• 1

  Register for the Washington Basic Health waiting list on the Washington Basic Health Web site (see Resources) if you are a low-income family. Washington Basic Health is a state-sponsored insurance program for Washington families that are between zero to 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Some people, such as foster parents and certain veterans, can bypass the waiting list by calling 800-660-9840.

• 2

  Apply for the Washington Health Program (see Resources) if your family does not qualify for Washington Basic Health but you still need low-cost coverage. This program has certain restrictions--for example, no one who is eligible for Medicare qualifies for this coverage.

• 3

  Use the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner Web site (see Resources) if you want to find your own health plan. Just scroll down to the bottom of the page and use the drop-down menu under the "Consumers" heading to select "Find Individual Health Plan." Choose your county, and you will be able to see the health-insurance plans that you can apply to for your family.