In 2024, people without a documented immigration status will have more health insurance options to choose from. Subsidies to help pay for certain private insurance plans have been available since January for this population, and an expansion of Washington Apple Health will roll out in July.
The private insurance program, which is already up and running, is available through Washington Healthplanfinder. Washington residents with any immigration status can shop for health insurance at wahealthplanfinder.org. People who are undocumented do not qualify for federal subsidies to bring down the cost of their plan, but beginning this year they may receive a state subsidy of up to $250 per month, per person.
The state subsidy is called Cascade Care Savings and is available to households with yearly incomes of about $36,000 for one person or about $75,000 for a family of four in 2024. To access the subsidy, people must enroll in specific health plans labeled “Cascade Care Gold” and “Cascade Care Silver.” The usual sign-up period at Washington Healthplanfinder is November 1 through January 15. However, people who qualify for Cascade Care Savings also qualify to enroll in the eligible plans at any time of year (called the Cascade Care Savings Special Enrollment Period).
This summer, the Apple Health Expansion program will begin providing health coverage similar to Medicaid to uninsured adults who do not meet the immigration requirements for federal health care assistance. People may be eligible for this program if they are Washington residents, over age 19 (children of any immigration status already are eligible for Apple Health), have income below 1.38 times the federal poverty level, and do not qualify for federally funded health programs. The income limit equals about $1,700 per month for one person and about $3,500 per month for a household of four, and the amounts may rise slightly by July. Applications for the program are expected to begin in late spring with coverage starting July 1.
Health coverage in the United States, even when affordable, is complex. People often need the assistance of a “navigator” or insurance broker to help, and they can find one listed with Washington Healthplanfinder here.
Additional information on health care options for immigrants is available here.
Find a fact sheet on Apple Health Expansion here.