Best Cheap Health Insurance in Washington (2024)
Kaiser Permanente has the best health insurance in Washington state. Silver plans start at $445 per month before discounts.
Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Washington
Best and cheapest health insurance in Washington
Cheapest health insurance companies in Washington
Community Health Plan has the most affordable health insurance for most people in Washington state, at $379 per month before discounts.
Ambetter has the cheapest overall rates in Washington state. However, the company only has the best rates in some rural western, southern and eastern counties. That includes large portions of the Olympic peninsula and most counties along the Oregon and Idaho border.
Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Washington
Affordable health insurance in Washington
Company |
Cost
| |
|---|---|---|
| Ambetter from Coordinated Care | $356 - $466 |
| Community Health Plan of Washington | $379 - $425 |
| Molina | $443 - $526 |
| Kaiser WA | $445 - $589 |
- Community Health Plan has the cheapest rates for roughly three out of four Washington residents. The company has the most affordable plans in Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma.
- Ambetter has the best low-cost medical insurance in Washington state for about 1 in 10 Washington residents. Ambetter is mostly available in rural western, southern and eastern counties.
- Regence BlueShield has the cheapest rates in Clark County. That includes large Portland suburbs, such as Vancouver, Camas and Battle Ground.
Best health insurance companies in Washington state
Kaiser Permanente has the best health insurance in Washington state.
Kaiser Permanente got a perfect 5 out of 5-star rating from HealthCare.gov. That makes it the highest-rated company in Washington state. Star ratings measure plan quality, customer satisfaction and plan management.
Plus, Kaiser Permanente gets significantly fewer complaints than an average company its size. It's a good idea to choose a company that gets few complaints because you may have an easier time filing a claim later on.
Best-rated health insurance companies in Washington
Company |
Editor rating
|
ACA rating
|
|---|---|---|
| Kaiser WA | 5.0 | |
| Ambetter from Coordinated Care | 4.0 | |
| BridgeSpan | NA | |
| Molina | 4.0 | |
| Regence BlueShield | 4.0 |
Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Washington
How much is health insurance in Washington state?
Health insurance in Washington state costs an average of $503 per month at full price or $160 per month after discounts.
- Higher plan tiers have expensive monthly rates. But, you'll save money when you go to the doctor.
- The cost of health insurance increases as you get older. Rates rise slowly when you're younger before spiking in middle age.
- The amount of discounts, called subsidies, you qualify for depends on your income. The less you earn, the more subsidies you'll qualify for.
Save on Washington health insurance with discounts
You can save hundreds of dollars per month on health insurance if qualify for discounts because of your income.
Roughly seven out of 10 people in Washington with coverage through the Washington Health Plan Finder are eligible for discounts, called subsidies or premium tax credits. Keep in mind that the size of your discount goes down as you make more money. About 14% of Washington residents with Obamacare plans pay less than $10 per month for coverage.
You may qualify for subsidies if you make between about $21,000 and $60,000 per year as a single person (roughly $35,000 to $125,000 for a family of four). Keep in mind that discounts only apply to Bronze, Silver and Gold plans bought through Washington Health Plan Finder.
Washington residents who earn about $21,000 per year or less ($43,000 per year for a family of four) may qualify for free government health insurance, called Washington Apple Health.
Affordable health insurance in Washington state by city
Community Health Plan of Washington has the most affordable health insurance in nine of Washington state's 10 largest cities.
Community Health Plan of Washington has the cheapest health plans in Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Bellevue and Everett. But, Regence BlueShield has the most affordable coverage in Vancouver, WA.
Cheapest health insurance by WA county
County | Cheapest plan | Monthly rates |
|---|---|---|
| Adams | Community Health Plan Cascade Select Silver | $416 |
| Asotin | Ambetter Cascade Select Silver | $380 |
| Benton | Community Health Plan Cascade Select Silver | $380 |
| Chelan | Community Health Plan Cascade Select Silver | $416 |
| Clallam | Ambetter Cascade Select Silver | $387 |
Cheapest Silver plan with rates for a 40-year-old
Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Washington
Best health insurance by plan tier
Gold plans have expensive rates, but you pay less when you go to the hospital making them best for people who have ongoing illnesses. Bronze plans have the cheapest rates, but you're responsible for a larger portion of the bill when you get care. Consider a Bronze plan if you're in good health and you can afford a large, unexpected bill.
Silver health plans balance medium rates with middle-of-the-road costs you pay when you see a doctor. That makes Silver plans best for those with average medical needs.
Plan tiers don't have anything to do with the types of medical services your plan pays for.
A Gold and a Bronze plan may cover the exact same medical services and prescription drugs. Gold plans are a good choice if you have ongoing illnesses or disabilities, Silver plans are best for people with average medical needs and Bronze plans are a great option for healthy people who can afford a surprise hospital bill.
Gold plans: Best if you have ongoing medical needs
| Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care. |
Consider a Gold plan if you expect to need a lot of healthcare in the coming year. That's because Gold plans are a good choice for people who have serious illnesses, such as cancer and heart disease.
Gold plans have expensive monthly rates. But, you'll pay very little before your coverage starts because these plans have low deductibles and caps on how much you'll pay for medical care in a single year, called an out-of-pocket maximum.
Gold plans in Washington state cost $554 per month before discounts and have a $894 deductible, on average.
Silver plans: Best for most people
| Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care. |
Silver health plans are a good choice if you only go to the hospital a few times per year. These plans have average rates and reasonable costs that you're responsible for paying when you get medical care.
In addition, you may qualify for extra savings if you have a Silver health plan and you make less than about $38,000 per year ($78,000 per year for a family of four).
Silver plans in Washington cost $503 per month and have a $3,089 deductible, on average.
Bronze plans: Best if you're healthy and have savings
| Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. |
Bronze plans are a good choice for young and healthy people who can afford to cover unexpected medical bills with their savings.
Bronze plans have the cheapest rates of any plan tier. But you'll have to pay a large deductible before coverage starts for most services.
In Washington, Bronze plans cost $388 per month and have a $6,332 deductible, on average.
Extra discounts and free health insurance in Washington state
You may qualify for free or discounted health coverage if you live in Washington state and you earn a low income.
WA Apple Health: Best for free health insurance in Washington state
Washington state residents who earn a low income may qualify for free health insurance, called Apple Health or Medicaid. You need to earn roughly $21,000 per year or less ($43,000 per year or less for a family of four) to be eligible for Apple Health.
Pregnant women, children and people who have disabilities can get Apple Health with higher household incomes.
Is Apple Health Medicaid?
Yes, Apple Health is the name for Medicaid in Washington state. Because Medicaid is run as a partnership between the federal government and states, many states have different names for their Medicaid programs.
Silver plans with cost-sharing reductions: Best if you don't qualify for Medicaid
| Silver plans will pay 73% to 94% of your medical costs if you have a low income. |
Washington residents who make less than $38,000 per year as an individual qualify for extra discounts, called cost-sharing reductions (CSRs). Cost-sharing reductions help you cover your portion of the bill when you see a doctor.
Depending on how much money you make, CSRs will reduce your deductible, copays and coinsurance by up to 94%.
Cascade Care plans: Best for limiting costs if you don't qualify for CSRs
Cascade Care plans have lower deductibles and costs that you're responsible for paying after you've met your deductible, such as your copay and coinsurance.
You don't need to earn a certain amount of money to qualify for Cascade Care. Anyone can buy a Cascade Care plan through Washington Health Plan Finder, and plans are available in every county in Washington state.
Cascade Care Select plans meet extra quality and value standards. However, these plans might not be available everywhere in the state.
Are health insurance rates going up in WA?
Health insurance costs increased by 7% from 2023 to 2024, on average.
Bronze and Silver plans rose the most at 7%, on average. Gold plans had a smaller year-on-year jump at 6%, on average.
Are health insurance rates going up in WA?
Tier | 2023 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | $363 | $388 | 7% |
| Silver | $470 | $503 | 7% |
| Gold | $522 | $554 | 6% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Washington state health insurance marketplace plans offer several important protections not offered by off-exchange plans like short-term coverage and supplemental health plans. All coverage bought through Washington Health Plan Finder offers certain services, called essential benefits. These include important benefits, such as prescription drug coverage and care for pregnant mothers and newborns.
Marketplace plans also limit how much you'll pay for care each year, called an out-of-pocket maximum. In addition, companies aren't allowed to consider your current or past medical problems when setting rates or approving coverage.
Short-term health insurance in Washington state
No company sells short-term health insurance in Washington because of strict state-level rules. If you need coverage outside open enrollment, it's a good idea to see if you can buy a marketplace plan by qualifying for a special enrollment period.
Common ways to qualify for a special enrollment period
- You've recently lost your health coverage.
- Your income has changed dramatically.
- You've gotten married or divorced.
- You've moved to a new area.
You can also sign up for if you've recently lost your job. Keep in mind that COBRA plans typically cost more than marketplace coverage.
Cobra insurance in Washington state
COBRA health insurance in Washington state costs $660 per month, on average.
COBRA insurance lets you keep your workplace health coverage after you lose your job. COBRA might be a good choice if you don't mind paying extra to keep your current plan.
However, COBRA usually isn't the best option for most people. That's because COBRA plans cost more than regular marketplace coverage. Plus, you won't qualify for discounts with COBRA.
Frequently asked questions
Who has the best health insurance in Washington state?
Kaiser Permanente has the best health insurance in Washington state. The company has high-quality plans, and it gets significantly fewer complaints than an average company its size according to the NAIC.
What is the most affordable health insurance in Washington state?
Community Health Plan has the most affordable health insurance for roughly three out of four people in Washington state. Silver plans start at $379 per month.
Ambetter has the cheapest rates in the state, but only for about one in 10 people in the state.
What is the income limit for Apple Health in Washington state?
You can qualify for Apple Health if you make about $21,000 per year or less as a single person (roughly $43,000 per year or less for a family of four).
Methodology
Washington health insurance rate data for 2024 is from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website. ValuePenguin used the CMS public use files (PUFs) to find average rates for different plan tiers and counties. Only plans and insurance companies for which county-level data was included in the CMS Crosswalk file were used in our analysis.
Rates are for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan, unless otherwise noted. Other sources include S&P Global Capital IQ, NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners) and the Washington Health Care Authority.
Editorial note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.