Washington Health Insurance

How healthy is living in Washington?

Washington State landed just outside the top 10 states in the 2009 ranking of the healthiest states by the United Health Foundation.

The #11-ranked state's best and worst category rankings:

• Prevalence of smoking – 6
• High school graduation – 34
• Occupational fatalities – 5
• Children in poverty – 9
• Preventable hospitalizations – 4
• Poor physical health days – 32
• Geographic disparity – 33
• Infant mortality – 2
• Premature death – 8

See the United Health Foundation's latest findings on Washington.

Does Washington have a risk pool for the uninsurable?

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

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Starting in 2010, Washington will offer health 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.

Cover The Uninsured's guide on finding health insurance in Washington

Cover The Uninsured is a national effort to highlight the fact that too many Americans are living without health insurance and to demand solutions from our nation's leaders. Read more information on its efforts. It is a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

• Cover The Uninsured's facts on the uninsured in Washington and all other states.
• Its guide on how to find health insurance in Washington.
• Materiales En Español – Guías para encontrar cobertura de seguro de salud.

Georgetown University's Guide to Health Insurance in Washington

Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute has researched and written state-by-state guides for finding and keeping health insurance. It updates these guides as federal and state policies change. A number of non-profit organizations help fund its research. Learn more about the Health Policy Institute.

Review Georgetown's guide for Washington.

USNews health insurance rankings for Washington

US News does an annual ranking of what it considers the best health insurance plans in each state. Visit its reports on various health insurance or medical insurance plans being offered in Washington.

Official State Goverment Sites with Washington Health Insurance Information

Consumer publications from Washington State's Office of the Insurance Commissioner -- includes many downloadable PDF guides on buying different types of health insurance.

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

Washington State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) -- many families can get free or low-cost health insurance for their kids. A family of 4 with gross income up to $4,303 month may be eligible.