Washington Health Insurance

How healthy is living in Washington?

Washington State climbed two spots higher – from 12th to 10th – in the 2008 ranking of the healthiest states by the United Health Foundation.

The state's best and worst category rankings:

• Infant mortality – 1st
• Preventable hospitalizations – 4th
• Occupational fatalities – 5th
• Children (under 18) in poverty – 5th
• Prevalence of smoking – 6th
• Premature death – 7th
• Immunization coverage – 48th

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

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 poolto 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. Find more on risk pools here.

Mini-meds a guaranteed-issue option for those who are medically uninsurable

An option for the medically uninsurable is a guaranteed-issue mini-med health insurance plan. There is no underwriting and no health questions are asked.

These plans provide basic coverage but are not designed to help with catastrophic expenses. They can often count as creditable coverage, eliminating the waiting period for pre-existing conditions if you later move to an employer-based plan. Read more 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.

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.