Best Washington Health Insurance (2024 Plans)


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MoneyGeek Logo IconBest Health InsuranceWashington
2024

Best Health Insurance in Washington

Why Trust MoneyGeek? We downloaded plan data for Washington directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). MoneyGeek’s scoring methodology balances costs, claims approval and plan types to find the best providers in the state.

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Plan data was updated with the CMS exchange data released in October 2023 for the 2024 enrollment period.

84Plans Analyzed
 
24Providers Compared

Overall Best Health Insurance in Washington

PacificSource has the highest MoneyGeek score for health insurance in Washington, with a rating of 80 out of 100. It has plan options that are more affordable than average, lower out-of-pocket costs and better management of claims.

In Washington, we looked at data from 15 Silver EPO plans, eight Silver HMO plans and two Silver PPO plans to find the best health insurance.

MoneyGeek Pick: PacificSource Health Plans

PacificSource Health Plans

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Very low rate of claim denials

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Diverse range of plan types available

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Affordable premium rates

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Low out-of-pocket costs

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Washington is PacificSource. This provider offers two Silver PPO plans at an average plan rate of $534 per month. The average maximum out-of-pocket cost for these plans is $7,750.

PacificSource's Silver PPO plans have more out-of-network coverage, which can be helpful if you visit doctors or hospitals outside the network. It offers an average plan rate of $534, and the average maximum out-of-pocket cost for these plans is $7,750.

PacificSource has a denial rate of 3%, which is lower than most of the competition.

Plan Recommendations

MoneyGeek recommends the following Silver plans:

  • Navigator Silver 5000: $534 per month; MOOP $7,750
  • PacificSource Cascade Silver: $568 per month; MOOP $9,200

Best Health Insurance in Washington for Low Out-of-Pocket Costs

PacificSource is the best health insurance in Washington for low out-of-pocket costs, with a MoneyGeek score of 92 out of 100. The provider offers plans with competitive prices, has low out-of-pocket costs and fewer denials of claims compared to others.

For this category, we looked at 17 Gold EPO plans, nine Gold HMO plans and two Gold PPO plans in Washington.

MoneyGeek Pick: PacificSource Health Plans

PacificSource Health Plans

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Low out-of-pocket costs

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Very few claims denied

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Diverse range of plan types

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Washington for low out-of-pocket costs is the provider that offers one Gold EPO plan. An EPO plan usually means you can use doctors and hospitals within its network, which can help keep costs down.

It has an average plan rate of $427, and the average maximum out-of-pocket cost for these plans is $6,100.

The provider has a lower denial rate than most of the competition.

Best Cheap Health Insurance in Washington

Community Health Plan of Washington is the best cheap health insurance provider in Washington, earning a score of 69 out of 100. The company offers more affordable plan options, maintains lower than average out-of-pocket expenses and denies fewer claims compared to other providers.

For this analysis, 20 Silver plans in Washington were evaluated, with a total of 15 Silver EPO plans, eight Silver HMO plans and two Silver PPO plans. MoneyGeek focused more on plans with lower monthly premiums for their ratings, though plans with lower monthly costs may have higher out-of-pocket expenses.

MoneyGeek Pick: Community Health Plan of Washington

Community Health Plan of Washington (CHPW)

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Low frequency of claim denials

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Wide variety of plan options

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best cheap health insurance in Washington is the Community Health Plan of Washington. It offers two Silver plans.

The Community Health Plan of Washington provides Silver PPO plans. PPO plans often have more coverage for seeing doctors outside the network.

It offers an average plan rate of $394, and the average maximum out-of-pocket cost for these plans is $9,200.

The Community Health Plan of Washington has a lower denial rate than most of the competition.

Best Health Insurance for Young Adults in Washington

PacificSource provides the best health insurance in Washington for young adults, with a MoneyGeek score of 85 out of 100.

It has more affordable plan options, lower out-of-pocket costs on average and better than average at not denying claims. Remember, only young adults under 30 years old can buy Catastrophic plans.

For young adults in Washington, we looked at 33 Bronze plans and one Catastrophic plan.

MoneyGeek Pick: PacificSource Health Plans

PacificSource Health Plans

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Affordable premium rates

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Low out-of-pocket costs

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Infrequent claim denials

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Offers many plan types

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Washington for young adults is PacificSource. Younger people often choose plans like the Catastrophic, Bronze or Expanded Bronze since they generally need fewer medical services. PacificSource has three Bronze plans for young adults. These plans average about $293 a month and have an average maximum out-of-pocket cost of $8,467 each year.

PacificSource provides PPO plans in Washington that include more options for out-of-network care. Its denial rate is about 3%, which is lower than most of the competition.

Plan Recommendations

MoneyGeek recommends the following plans for young adults:

  • Navigator Bronze HSA 7500: $285 for 18-year-olds and $319 for 26-year-olds; MOOP $7,500
  • Navigator Bronze 7000: $294 for 18-year-olds and $330 for 26-year-olds; MOOP $8,700
  • PacificSource Cascade Bronze: $301 for 18-year-olds and $338 for 26-year-olds; MOOP $9,200

Best Health Insurance by Plan Type in Washington

Health insurance companies have different kinds of plans. The best providers for all plan categories are:

  • HMO: Molina (MoneyGeek score: 40 out of 100)
  • EPO: Premera (MoneyGeek score: 52 out of 100)
  • PPO: PacificSource (MoneyGeek score: 100 out of 100)

MoneyGeek's recommendations say Silver plans balance premiums and out-of-pocket costs well. Silver plans are fitting for people who often use health services.

In Washington, there are 15 Silver EPO plans, eight Silver HMO plans and two Silver PPO plans available.

MoneyGeek Pick for PPO: PacificSource Health Plans

PacificSource Health Plans
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Washington for Silver PPO plans is PacificSource. It offers two Silver PPO plans. The insurer offers an average plan rate of $551, and the average maximum out-of-pocket cost for these plans is $8,475. The provider has a low denial rate of about 3%.

Silver PPO plans are popular among health insurance options. They let you choose your doctors and see specialists without a referral, which gives you more choices. But, they can be pricier than other types like HMO plans, so they might not fit everyone's budget.

Plan Recommendations

We suggest the following Silver PPO plans from PacificSource:

  • Navigator Silver 5000: $534 per month; MOOP $7,750
  • PacificSource Cascade Silver: $568 per month; MOOP $9,200

MoneyGeek Pick for EPO: Premera Blue Cross

Premera Blue Cross
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Washington for Silver EPO plans is Premera. It offers two different plans. The insurer offers an average plan rate of $720, and the average maximum out-of-pocket cost for these plans is $8,075. The company has a denial rate of 17.3767%, which means it denies fewer claims than average.

Silver EPO plans let you see doctors who are in the network, usually without needing to get a referral for specialists. This is good if you need to see a doctor who is an expert. But with these plans, you must stay with doctors and hospitals in the network unless you have an emergency. This can limit your choices.

Plan Recommendations

We suggest the following Silver EPO plans from Premera:

  • Premera Blue Cross Preferred Silver EPO 4500: $716 per month; MOOP $6,950
  • Premera Blue Cross Cascade Silver: $723 per month; MOOP $9,200

MoneyGeek Pick for HMO: Molina Healthcare

Molina Healthcare
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Washington for Silver HMO plans is Molina. It offers an average plan rate of $468, and the average maximum out-of-pocket cost for these plans is $8,463. Molina has a denial rate of 0.19%, which is good because it denies fewer claims than average.

Silver HMO plans tend to be less expensive and are common. With a Silver HMO, you pay lower monthly payments, but you have to see doctors in your network except in emergencies. You also need a referral to see a specialist. This is good if you can easily go to in-network providers.

Plan Recommendations

We suggest the following Silver HMO plans from Molina:

  • Constant Care Silver 1: $457 per month; MOOP $7,725
  • Molina Cascade Silver: $480 per month; MOOP $9,200

How to Find the Best Health Insurance for You in Washington

You should consider the medical services you need and your budget when shopping for health insurance. For instance, a higher monthly premium could mean a lower out-of-pocket cost, so you can pay less when you access treatment.

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    Understand when a health insurance plan will cover you

    Health insurance can be a bit like a game of choosing teams. Some plans have a special team of doctors that you can see, called "in-network". If you see these doctors, your plan helps pay for it. But if you pick a doctor not on the team, "out-of-network", you might have to pay more or all the cost.

    If you live in Washington, you've got different teams to choose from. Some plans let you see more doctors, but might cost more. Others cost less, but you have to stick to the team.

    In Washington, there are 15 EPO plans, eight HMO plans and just two PPO plans you can pick from.

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    Weigh the cost of premiums vs. the cost of care

    When you look for health insurance, it's like trying to find the best mix of two costs. Every month you pay a premium. Then there's the most you'll pay out-of-pocket.

    If you don't go to the doctor much, a low premium might be good. But, if you need more care, picking a plan with a higher premium can mean paying less overall when you get medical services.

    Let's talk about the Silver plan with the friendliest out-of-pocket limit. The "Navigator Silver 5000" has a max out-of-pocket cost of $7,750. Now, this plan's monthly premium is $534.

    This is better out-of-pocket than the "PacificSource Cascade Silver" plan. But remember, plans with both low premiums and out-of-pocket costs are best. They're like a great deal if they cover the doctors and hospitals you need.

Consider Washington Medicare or Medicaid if You’re Eligible

Medicare is a federal health care program for residents in Washington over 65 and individuals with qualifying disabilities or illnesses. Although it’s not entirely free, it’s significantly cheaper than insurance plans from private providers. Services under Medicare include the three following parts:

  • Part A: This part is also known as hospital insurance, as it covers hospital stays, hospice care, skilled nursing facility care and home-based health care.
  • Part B: Also known as medical insurance, Part B covers outpatient treatments, medical supplies, preventive care and doctor’s services.
  • Part D: This part is prescription drug insurance, covering prescription drugs and some vaccinations.

MoneyGeek reviewed the best Medicare Advantage plans and the best Medicare Supplement plans, so you can make a more informed decision about your health care.

Since Medicaid is free, it is the most affordable option for eligible Washington residents. Washington is a Medicaid expansion state, so you can qualify based only on your income. Medicaid is available for individuals in Washington with a household income below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level.

FAQ About Health Insurance in Washington

Concerns about health insurance cost and availability are common for shoppers. MoneyGeek answered some of the frequently asked questions about health insurance in Washington.

What is the best health insurance provider in Washington for 2024?
What should you look for when shopping for the best health insurance plan in Washington?

About Mark Fitzpatrick


Mark Fitzpatrick headshot

Mark Fitzpatrick is a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer and MoneyGeek's Head of Insurance. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research and creating personalized content for every kind of buyer. He has been quoted in several insurance-related publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick earned a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his knowledge of economics and insurance to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.