Top Health Insurance Providers in Washington State 2023

If you are looking for affordable health insurance in Washington State, there are many ways to start your search.

You can either buy your coverage directly from any of the best health insurance companies in the state, or you can approach the state marketplace for insurance, which is also referred to as an exchange.

For instance, there’s Washington Healthplanfinder which is one of the many health insurance marketplaces in the US offering health insurance to individuals and families. This is a Washington state health insurance marketplace through which you can enroll in numerous health plans and get all the financial help you need.

In this article, we will talk about the top providers of health insurance in Washington and give you a quick comparison of all their plans. Furthermore, we will also walk you through the Washington Health Insurance Guide to help you make an informed decision.

List of Providers and Comparison of Plans

There are numerous health insurance companies in Washington State, each of which is known for its unique characteristics and offerings.

When buying health insurance, it is essential that you shortlist a few options and compare their plans so that you can easily figure out which one meets your insurance needs and requirements.

Take a look at the top health insurance providers in Washington State, along with their insurance plans and programs.

BridgeSpan

BridgeSpan is a relatively new insurance provider and works as an affiliate of Cambia Health Solutions, which is its parent company. This company aims to make healthcare easier and more accessible for all the people living in the state.

BridgeSpan has a whole portfolio of health plans that you can access online through Washington’s health insurance exchange marketplace. An important thing to note here is that Medicaid in Washington is referred to as ‘Apple Health.’ You can apply for health insurance and low-cost or even free coverage through Apple Health on a year-round basis.

The plans offered by BridgeSpan include a variety of products and meet all the ACA (Affordable Care Act) requirements.

HSA-Qualified Plans

These are known as the BridgeSpan Exchange HSA and are available at both Bronze and Silver levels.

A key feature of HSA plans is that they allow varying deductibles as a way to help customers choose their plans.

Non-HSA Plans

These plans vary by state and also offer a selection of different networks. This helps people choose a network that includes their choice of providers.

Non-HSA plans are available at the following levels:

• Standard Bronze, Silver, and Gold
• Exchange Silver and Gold

Dental and Vision Plans

BridgeSpan health insurance plans sometimes also include dental and vision plans depending on the state.

Networks Available In Washington

• RealValue and Simple Connect Network
• UW Medicine Network
• MultiCare Health System Network
• EverGreen Health Partners
• PeaceHealth
• Providence-Swedish Health
• The Everett Clinic

Coordinated Care

This is a managed care organization in Washington State that provides healthcare services to as many as 200,000 people.

It strives towards improving the healthcare standards of people living in the state by providing them with affordable and accessible healthcare plans.

The health insurance plans offered by Coordinated Care determine your eligibility on the basis of your age, income, and family size.

Ambetter Essential Care

This is a bronze-level plan that covers basic and essential healthcare needs with lower monthly premiums. It can result in higher out-of-pocket costs if you need a lot of care.

Ambetter Balanced Care

This is a silver-level plan that aims to give you the great value and also tries to create a balance between your out-of-pocket costs and monthly premium payments.

Ambetter Secure Care

This is a gold-level plan that covers all healthcare needs but with higher monthly premium payments. It does help limit the out-of-pocket costs over time.

Kaiser

Kaiser operates with an aim to provide affordable and high-quality healthcare plans and services to people in Washington. The company brings forth a variety of health plans to meet the different needs and requirements of people.

Individual and Family Plans

These are designed differently according to individual and family needs. You can purchase them through Washington’s health insurance marketplace or directly from Kaiser.

Medicaid Plans

These plans are extended towards people that have limited resources and low incomes, and if you qualify for Medicaid under Washington’s program, you might be able to receive it through Kaiser only.

Medicare Plans

These plans offered by Kaiser work with Medicare to provide you access to healthcare assistance. They mainly cover hospital services, doctor visits, and medical prescriptions.

Employer-Sponsored Coverage

This applies to those who receive health insurance through their workplace or employers. It is great to check with your employer if you are eligible for this healthcare plan.

LifeWise

This insurance provider has deep roots in Washington, comes with an A credit rating, and has the ability to provide healthcare to more than 2.2 million people.

The plans offered by LifeWise are available in all Washington counties except Skamania, Franklin, Kitsap, Pacific, Grays Harbor, and Wahkiakum. 

This insurance provider offers plans on three metallic levels – Bronze, Silver, Gold.

All three provide almost the same kind of care and coverage including office visits, virtual care, hospital services, and prescription drugs.

The major difference between the three is that you either pay a lower monthly premium or you pay less at the time that you receive the care.

If you choose to enroll in a LifeWise medical plan, you can also add dental coverage if you have kids.

Bronze Plans

These plans have the lowest monthly costs; however, you are likely to end up paying more at the time of receiving care.

Bronze level plans are ideal for those who don’t really have any medical needs and are looking for a low-cost method to get protection from illnesses.

Silver Plans

Silver plans have moderate monthly payments with decent costs at the time of care. If you are willing to receive medical or health care twice a year, silver plans are a good option for you.

Gold

With low costs at the time of care and the highest monthly premiums, gold plans are for those who have an ongoing medical condition.

Molina

This healthcare provider in Washington aims to provide affordable, accessible, and quality healthcare to all those people who receive government assistance.

It offers a number of different types of health insurance plans such as:

Medicaid

This plan is based on a contract between Molina and state governments through which it provides a wide variety of healthcare services to families that are eligible for programs sponsored by the government.

Molina Medicare

This offers plans that are comprehensive, contain quality benefits, and offer access to hospitals, doctors, and other healthcare providers at very little out-of-pocket costs.

Integrated Medicaid/Medicare

This plan by Molina holds true to those who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Molina healthcare is included in duals demonstration projects that are a part of the whole member-centered health care approach for these people.

Molina Marketplace

The Molina Marketplace plans allow its Medicaid members to stay with their current providers as they make the shift from  Medicaid to the Marketplace. These plans also help remove financial barriers in order to keep the out-of-pocket costs at a minimum and remove any kind of financial hindrances from being able to provide people with the best and quality healthcare.

Premera Blue Cross

With a goal to control rising medical costs and providing quality healthcare to people of the state, Premera Blue Cross serves more than 2 million people, and it’s also the largest health plan in the Pacific Northwest.

Premera Blue Cross offers many individual and family healthcare plans that you can access through the Washington Healthplanfinder.

Premera Blue Cross Medicare Advantage

This is a zero-premium plan where you don’t have to pay anything apart from your Medicare Part A and B premiums. It includes a prescription coverage that has a $340 deductible and is applied to three tiers and above.

Premera Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Classic

This has prescription coverage with a $275 deductible that applies to three tiers and up. It includes vision and dental coverage along with fitness membership.

Premera Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Classic Plus

This has to be the most expensive plan on the list with the lowest deductible, which is at $200, and it applies to three tiers and above.

Average Cost of Health Insurance in Washington

The average health insurance cost in Washington State comes to $420 per person for the essential or basic major health insurance plans. However, it can vary according to many different factors such as gender, zip code, and age, to name a few.

Washington Health Insurance Guide and Resources

There are many different types of health insurance in Washington where each type has different things to offer to people looking to get health insurance.

For example, you have the following types of plans:

• Consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs)
• Managed-Care plans
• Preferred provider organization (PPO) health plans
• Government Assisted Plans
• Employer-Provided Health plans
• Washington Medicare
• Washington Medicaid

There are also individual and private health insurance plans in Washington that you can also look into according to your needs and requirements.

Tips to Save on Health Insurance in Washington

When looking to purchase Washington State health insurance, many people wonder if there are ways to cut down costs on save money on health insurance.

Well, speaking of that, you must know that there are many factors which contribute towards your premium costs. These include:

• Body mass index
• Tobacco use
• Age
• Location
• Cost-sharing reductions
• Applying as family or individual
• Pre-existing conditions
• Gender
• Insurance and medical history