BestHealth InsuranceWashingtonBest Washington Health Insurance (2023 Plans)
Compare Rates
Ensure you're getting the best rate. Review quotes from a top insurance company.
BestHealth InsuranceWashingtonBest Health Insurance in Washington
Best Overall - PacificSource Health Plans
Best for Low MOOP - Community Health Plan of Washington (CHPW)
Best Cheap - Coordinated Care
Best for Young Adults - PacificSource Health Plans
Best for HMO - Coordinated Care
Best for PPO - PacificSource Health Plans
Best for EPO - Premera Blue Cross
Best Overall for Health Insurance in Washington
PacificSource Health Plans is Washington’s best health insurance provider, earning a MoneyGeek score of 79 out of 100. It has one of the lowest available maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) costs, so you won’t pay much before your health insurance covers your expenses. It’s also rare for this company to deny claims, so you’ll be protected from surprise coverage denials. PacificSource Health Plans provides PPO plans that usually give more flexibility to clients.
We based our rankings in this category on Silver plans. In Washington, there are 245 EPO plans, 205 HMO plans and 30 PPO plans offered by various providers.
pros
Rarely denies claims
Low MOOP costs
Offers PPO plans
cons
Relatively expensive premiums
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
PacificSource Health Plans is likely to accept your coverage claims, as evidenced by its low claims denial rate. Its plans cost a monthly average of $506, with an average MOOP of $7,875. This rate is relatively more expensive than its competitors, though this discrepancy may be due to the PPO plans it offers. However, its MOOP costs are lower than most companies.
This insurer offers 30 Silver PPO plans, which are more flexible than HMO plans. PPO plans are more expensive, but you won’t need a referral to see a medical professional. It also has a broader provider network, so you have more specialists to choose from without worrying about coverage.
Plan Recommendations
MoneyGeek recommends the following PacificSource Health Plans policies:
- Navigator Silver 5000: $498 per month ($7,250 MOOP)
- PacificSource Cascade Silver: $515 per month ($8,500 MOOP)
Best Health Insurance in Washington for Low Out-of-Pocket Costs
Community Health Plan of Washington is Washington’s best health insurance provider if you’re looking for the lowest out-of-pocket costs. It received a MoneyGeek score of 90 out of 100. Aside from having the lowest MOOP (maximum out-of-pocket) costs, this company offers EPO plans so that you can access broader coverage networks with your policy. It also provides affordable rates, meaning you can skip the trade-off between cheap premiums and MOOP costs.
We ranked Gold plans to find the best provider for this category. In Washington, 275 EPOs, 214 HMOs and 30 PPO Gold plans are available.
pros
Offers affordable monthly rates
Lowest MOOP cost among its competitors
Rarely denies coverage claims
cons
Only offers EPO plans
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Community Health Plan of Washington offers 35 EPO Gold plans. An EPO plan is much like an HMO plan because you must stay within the provider’s network of facilities to get coverage for medical treatments other than emergencies. However, EPOs are slightly more flexible than HMO plans, sometimes allowing you to see specialists without a referral.
The average cost of a plan from this company is $433 per month, with an average MOOP of $5,900. It has one of the most affordable monthly premiums and the lowest out-of-pocket costs among its competitors in Washington. It has a low denial rate, so your coverage claims are less likely to be rejected. This dependability means having peace of mind when accessing health care services.
Plan Recommendations
MoneyGeek recommends the following Community Health Plan of Washington plan:
- Community Health Plan of Washington Cascade Select Gold: $433 per month ($5,900 MOOP)
Best Cheap Health Insurance in Washington
Coordinated Care Corporation offers the best cheap health insurance in Washington, earning a MoneyGeek score of 86 out of 100. We ranked the companies in this category based on affordable monthly premiums.
Cheaper rates usually mean higher out-of-pocket costs, so you might have to pay more for health expenses before your insurance kicks in. Lower premiums may best fit your monthly budget, so the ideal option depends on your budget, needs and priorities.
We analyzed Silver plans from all surveyed companies to find the winner for this category. Washington has 245 EPOs, 205 HMOs and 30 PPO Silver plans.
If you're focused soley on cost, MoneyGeek also determined the cheapest health insurance in Washington.
pros
Low claims denial rate
Lowest average monthly premium among its competitors
cons
High MOOP (maximum out-of-pocket) costs
Only offers HMO plans
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
The average cost of a Coordinated Care Corporation plan is $388 per month, with a MOOP cost of $8,109. This provider is the cheapest option among the companies we analyzed in Washington. However, it has one of the highest out-of-pocket costs. It’s typical to see a trade-off between low rates and high MOOP costs.
This provider offers 85 HMO plans, which are great for affordability. On the downside, HMO plans offer less flexibility because you need to stay within a network to receive covered care. Before buying an HMO policy, checking if your preferred providers are within the plan’s network is best.
Coordinated Care Corporation has a low denial rate, so it rarely rejects claims. This score can assure you that your policy will cover you whenever you seek medical attention from an in-network provider.
Plan Recommendations
MoneyGeek recommends the following plan from Coordinated Care Corporation:
- Ambetter Cascade Select Silver: $357 per month ($8,500 MOOP)
Best Health Insurance for Young Adults in Washington
PacificSource Health Plans offers Washington’s best health insurance for young adults. It has a MoneyGeek score of 81 out of 100 based on its affordability, service and plans offered.
For this category, we ranked health insurance providers that offer Bronze or Catastrophic plans. These plans typically have affordable rates in exchange for higher out-of-pocket costs. Young adults can consider Catastrophic plans, which are usually only available for policyholders under 30. To find the top-ranking company for young adults, we analyzed 420 EPOs, 236 HMOs and 45 PPO Bronze plans and 12 HMO Catastrophic plans in Washington.
pros
Low claims denial rate
Low MOOP (maximum out-of-pocket) costs
Offers PPO plans
cons
Relatively expensive rates
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
The average monthly cost of a plan from PacificSource Health Plans is $302, with an average MOOP of $8,050. Its rates are higher than the other health insurance providers we surveyed, but it also has one of the lowest MOOP costs. Its higher rates could be due to the PPO plans this company offers. PacificSource Health Plans also has a low denial rate, so it’s rare to have your claims rejected.
You have 45 Bronze PPO plans to choose from this provider. PPO plans are usually more expensive than HMO plans because they have a more expansive network of facilities. Unlike HMO plans, you don’t need a referral to see a specialist. This plan type is excellent if you prioritize flexibility and accessibility over affordable rates.
Plan Recommendations
MoneyGeek recommends the following plan for young adults from PacificSource Health Plans:
- Navigator Bronze HSA 7050: $297 per month for 26-year-olds and $265 per month for 18-year-olds ($7,050 MOOP)
Best Health Insurance by Plan Type in Washington
Health insurance providers offer various plan types. Coordinated Care Corporation is the best provider for HMO plans, receiving a MoneyGeek score of 90 out of 100. PacificSource Health Plans is the best choice for PPO plans, featuring a MoneyGeek score of 100 out of 100. Premera is the best provider if you’re looking for an EPO plan, earning a MoneyGeek score of 80 out of 100.
In ranking these companies, we only considered Silver plans for their balance of premiums and maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) costs. Among Silver plans in Washington, 245 are EPOs, 205 are HMOs and 30 are PPOs.
Best for HMO: Coordinated Care Corporation
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Coordinated Care Corporation offers the best HMO plans in Washington. It provides 85 HMO plans with an average monthly cost of $388 and an average MOOP cost of $8,109.
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans may be your cheapest option for health insurance. It’s an in-network plan, so you must stay in your network’s policy for your medical expenses to be covered, other than some emergencies. You’ll also need to secure a referral before seeing a specialist. Before purchasing an HMO plan, checking if your preferred doctor is in-network is helpful.
This provider features a low denial rate. As long as you stay within your network, there’s a good chance that this insurer will always cover your medical expenses.
Plan Recommendations
MoneyGeek recommends the following HMO plan from Coordinated Care Corporation:
- Ambetter Balanced Care 4: $384 per month ($7550 MOOP)
Best for PPO: PacificSource Health Plans
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
PacificSource Health Plans is Washington’s best PPO provider. Its average monthly premium is $506, with an average MOOP cost of $7,875. You can choose from 30 Silver PPO plans from this company.
A Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan requires seeing providers within your network. However, it offers a more expansive network than an HMO, meaning you can visit more professionals, and your policy will still provide coverage. You typically won’t need a referral before seeing a specialist, making it more convenient and accessible. This flexibility leads to more expensive rates.
The denial rate of PacificSource Health Plans is low. This provider typically accepts your claims and covers expenses if you stay in the network. You won’t have to worry about your insurance not covering medical services due to a rejected claim.
Plan Recommendations
MoneyGeek recommends the following PPO plans from PacificSource Health Plans:
- Navigator Silver 5000: $498 per month ($7,250 MOOP)
- PacificSource Cascade Silver: $515 per month ($8,500 MOOP)
Best for EPO: Premera
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Premera is Washington’s best EPO provider, with an average monthly premium of $641 and an average MOOP of $7,600. This company offers 20 Silver EPO plans.
Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO) plans cover medical treatments within a network, except in emergencies. You won’t always need a referral to see a specialist, so it’s a bit more flexible than an HMO plan. However, these plans don’t offer out-of-network benefits. These plans are a good option if your preferred doctors are within your insurer’s network.
Premera has a low denial rate, so there’s a good chance this insurer will cover any claims you make for in-network services you receive. This reliability can be reassuring, especially if you require regular medical care.
Plan Recommendations
MoneyGeek recommends the following EPO plans from Premera:
- Premera Blue Cross Preferred Silver EPO 4300: $638 per month ($6,700 MOOP)
- Premera Blue Cross Cascade Silver: $644 per month ($8,500 MOOP)
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.
Understand when a health insurance plan will cover you
Health insurance organizations have different policies regarding the services they will cover. Washington has 940 EPOs, 667 HMOs and 105 PPOs across all tiers.
HMOs are cheaper than other plan types, but these providers have strict in-network policies. They will require you to get a referral to see a specialist and will only cover out-of-network services in an emergency. EPOs are most common in Washington and are similar to HMOs. These organizations require you to stay in-network for most health care services, except in emergencies. However, EPOs won’t always need a referral for you to see a specialist.
Finally, PPOs tend to be the most expensive health organizations but offer policyholders the most flexibility with broader coverage networks and referral-free specialist appointments.
Weigh the cost of premiums vs. the cost of care
There is often a trade-off between premiums and maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) costs. If you pay less every month, you tend to spend more by the time you need medical services. For example, PacificSource Health Plans’ “Navigator Silver 5000” plan offers an average monthly rate of $498 and a MOOP of $7,250. Meanwhile, Blue Cross Blue Shield’s “Regence Cascade Gold Eastside Health Network” offers an average monthly rate of $596, with a MOOP of $5,900. These plans illustrate how a plan’s metal tier can affect your monthly premiums and MOOP.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions 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.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
