Washington Apple Health, a medical assistance program that provides free and low-cost health coverage, will become available for the first time to low-income adults with an undocumented immigration status. However, funding limits for the program require the state to cap enrollment at 13,000 people. Enrollment applications will open June 20.
Apple Health Expansion is the newest program under the Washington Apple Health umbrella, but other categories of Apple Health coverage are also available to Washingtonians with various immigration statuses. This citizenship and immigration status guide defines which immigration statuses qualify for which programs, including the new Apple Health Expansion program.
Washington State’s Health Care Authority (HCA) has also published a communications toolkit to help community-based organizations understand the Apple Health Expansion program and communicate with people who should apply.
The toolkit is designed to serve three key audiences:
- People eligible for Apple Health Expansion
- People ineligible for Apple Health Expansion but who may qualify for another program
- People transitioning from another program (like a private health plan or emergency-only medical coverage)
Resources in the toolkit include:
- Apple Health Expansion client-facing website
- Overview flyer in English and 15 other languages
- Social media content in English
The toolkit publishers note that it will be updated periodically as the program launch date approaches.