Washington Health Insurance

How healthy is living
in Washington?

Washington dropped four spots to13th according to the 2012 America's Health Rankings® by the United Health Foundation.

The good news:

• A relatively low percentage of Washington adults smoke.
• Infant mortality and low-weight birth rates are low.

The bad news:

• The percentage of children in poverty rose from 16.1 percent in 2011 to 18.9 percent in 2012.
• More than one in four students does not finish high school in four years.

Washington's best and worst category rankings:

• Occupational Fatalities – 5th
• Low Birth Weight – 5th
• Preventable Hospitalizations – 5th
• Geographic Disparity – 36th
• High School Graduation Rate – 37th
• Immunization Coverage – 39th

more details

• See the United Health Foundation's latest findings on Washington.
• Trust for America's Health ia another source for key Washington health quality findings. In addition, 2010's federal health reform, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), included the creation of a prevention fund to provide more than $16 billion over the next 10 years to invest in effective, proven prevention efforts, like childhood obesity prevention and tobacco cessation, and the site has a report on how it impacts Washington here.

get local health results

State snapshot too large? Get county-by-county health rankings for Washington, from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Population Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin.

Does Washington have a health insurance high risk pool?

Washington State Health Insurance Pool
Toll-free 1-800-877-5187

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Starting in 2010, Washington started offering health care insurance coverage to residents through the federally established temporary high-risk pool program. To find out more about Washington's participation, click here.

Risk pools are state-sponsored programs to help people with a history of medical problems in their family to purchase coverage. These pools are for people who can afford to buy health insurance, but are not able to get underwritten in the private market because of a pre-existing health condition. These programs can vary significantly from state to state in price, benefits and number of people served. Often insurance companies doing business in the state are required to contribute to the pool to keep it in the black. In the best cases, they allow people to be able to switch jobs or become self-employed without the fear of losing their health insurance coverage. Read more about risk pools here.

Non-profit sources of health insurance information for Washington

• The Foundation for Health Coverage Education's mission is to provide simplified public and private health insurance eligibility information in order to help more people access coverage. Here is its guide on how to find health insurance in Washington.
• The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is tracking the progress of health insurance reform in each state. Its page for Washington can be found here.
• The National Committee for Quality Assurance is a private, non-profit organization that, among other things, provides health care plan report cards for consumers. Search for Washington health insurance plan report cards.

Washington state government health insurance resources

Insurance Commissioner on health reform —  The State of Washington’s Insurance Commission with how the new health care law will affect Oregonians.

Governor’s office on health care reform —  Gov. Chris Gregoire’s office has published this information on the State of Washington’s implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

Health care assistance in Washington State —  The state of Washinton’s Medicaid programs.

Washington Apple Health for Kids (CHIP) —  A Washington State initiative aimed at streamlining applications for children’s

Find out if you qualify for government-sponsored medical benefits —  Six questions to determine whether you may be eligible for free medical services.

Consumer publications from Washington State’s Office of the Insurance Commissioner —  Includes many downloadable PDF guides on buying different types of health insurance.

How did Washington officials vote on health reform?

H.R.2: Repealing the Health Care Bill

#14

Date of Vote: 1/19/2011 Status: House passed 245-189, 1 not voting

HOUSE|SENATE

1/19/2011--Passed House amended. Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act - Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, effective as of its enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by such Act. Repeals the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective as of the Act's enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by the Act's health care provisions. [more]

Yes (4)

• Doc Hastings
• Jaime Herrera Beutler
• Cathy McMorris Rodgers

• Dave Reichert

Our
Pick

No (5)

• Norman Dicks
• Jay Inslee
• Rick Larsen

• James McDermott
• Adam Smith