Cheapest Health Insurance in Washington (2026)

At $499 a month on average, Community Health Plan of Washington is the cheapest health insurance company in Washington. That's $184 less than the $683 statewide average, or $2,208 a year.

CHPW sells only EPO plans and covers 26 of Washington's 39 counties. If you live in Clark County or parts of eastern Washington outside its service area, start with Coordinated Care, whose Bronze HMO averages $373 a month. Kaiser Permanente averages $626 a month and is the only insurer here with both HMO and EPO plans.

* Average monthly rates are the rounded mean of each provider's monthly plan rates in Washington, and the difference columns compare each provider with the statewide average. Your rates will vary by age, location and plan.

Filter Washington plans by age, plan type and metal level, which is the coverage tier (Bronze, Gold or Catastrophic in our data). If you expect less than $3,130 in medical costs a year, Bronze costs less in total. Compare Gold plans if you fill regular prescriptions, see specialists or expect costs above that amount.

Coordinated Care's Bronze HMO, at $373 a month on average, is the cheapest HMO health insurance in Washington. HMO plans have lower premiums than plans with broader network access because they require referrals for specialists and cover out-of-network care only in emergencies. All three Bronze HMO insurers have the same $6,000 deductible, so premium is the deciding factor at this tier, and Coordinated Care's is the lowest.

A Gold HMO costs $132 to $140 a month more than the same insurer's Bronze HMO, with deductibles of $1,300 to $1,450. Coordinated Care's Gold HMO, at $505 a month, has the lowest total annual cost of Washington's Gold HMO plans. Kaiser Permanente's Gold HMO has a lower out-of-pocket maximum ($7,767), but at $611 a month, it costs more over the year.

For a 40-year-old, CHPW's Bronze EPO averages $357 a month. That's the cheapest EPO health insurance in Washington and the lowest premium of any plan in the state at that age. EPO plans don't require referrals for specialists, and they cover out-of-network care only in emergencies.

Bronze EPO deductibles range from $6,000 at CHPW and BridgeSpan to $7,483 at UnitedHealthcare. CHPW has the lowest Bronze EPO premium and a deductible tied for lowest, so its Bronze EPO has the lowest total annual cost at every spending level. Gold EPO deductibles are lower, from $1,133 to $1,450.

For adults under 30, Kaiser Permanente's Catastrophic HMO is the cheapest health insurance in Washington, at $178 a month at age 18 and $200 at 26. With a $10,600 deductible, Catastrophic plans make sense only for people who rarely need care. From 40 through 60, CHPW's Bronze EPO is the cheapest option, and its rate more than doubles over those years.

* Rates reflect the lowest-cost marketplace plan at each age. Catastrophic plans are limited to adults under 30 or people who qualify for an exemption, and they carry high deductibles and MOOP limits.

Among EPOs, Community Health Plan of Washington and LifeWise have the cheapest HSA-eligible plans, both at the Bronze tier, and CHPW's averages $357 a month for a 40-year-old. With an HSA, you can set aside pre-tax money for your deductible and other qualified medical costs, which lowers the taxes you pay on care.

For EPOs, HSA-eligible plans in Washington are limited to the Bronze tier, and Gold plans don't qualify. A Bronze EPO with an HSA costs less in total for people who rarely use care, can pay the $6,000 deductible out of pocket and want to lower their taxable income with yearly HSA contributions.

At all three spending levels, CHPW has the lowest estimated total annual cost. Its Bronze EPO ($357 a month) costs less in total when medical costs stay under $3,130 a year. Above that, its Gold EPO ($469 a month) costs less, since its deductible is $4,550 lower and its premium is only $112 more a month.

*Total annual costs for a 40-year-old add 12 months of premiums to estimated out-of-pocket costs at each spending level. We assumed you pay covered expenses until you meet the deductible, then 20% co-insurance up to the plan's out-of-pocket maximum. Your costs will vary with copays, covered services and negotiated network rates.

With $20,000 in medical costs, the Gold EPO's yearly total is $10,788, $2,296 below the Bronze EPO's $13,084. The Gold EPO caps out-of-pocket costs at $7,900 and the Bronze EPO at $10,150. Once medical costs pass $33,700, both caps apply, and the Gold EPO saves $2,250 in out-of-pocket costs.

Health insurance in Washington averages $683 a month across the insurers we reviewed. On average, HMO plans cost $66 a month less than EPO plans at Bronze and $128 less at Gold. In return for the higher average premium, EPO plans don't require referrals to see specialists. The cheapest Gold plan in the state is still an EPO: CHPW's, at $469 a month.

Which plan is cheapest for you depends on your county, income and how often you need care. Apply through Washington Healthplanfinder before comparing premiums, since it automatically checks whether you qualify for Apple Health (Washington's Medicaid program) and Cascade Care Savings. Cascade Care Savings is a state-funded premium discount on Cascade Care plans for households with incomes up to 250% of the federal poverty level, an income guideline the federal government updates each year. If you also get federal premium tax credits, you need a Silver or Gold Cascade plan to receive the discount.

These free government resources help Washington residents compare plans, check eligibility and resolve disputes with insurers.

• Washington Healthplanfinder: On Washington's own state exchange, you can compare marketplace plans, check subsidy eligibility, apply for Apple Health and find free local enrollment help.
• Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner: The office takes consumer complaints against health insurers, publishes approved 2026 premium rates and explains your rights as an enrollee.
• Washington State Health Care Authority: The agency manages Apple Health, Washington's Medicaid and CHIP program. Single adults who earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level and meet its other rules can get Apple Health at no cost.
• Apple Health for Kids: Children from birth to age 19 can get free or low-cost health and dental coverage, with no immigration documentation required.
• Medicare.gov: Washington residents who are 65 or older or have a qualifying disability can compare Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement and Part D plans on this official site.

To find which insurers charge the least by plan type and age, MoneyGeek analyzed Washington Healthplanfinder rate data for 66 plans from the state's nine marketplace insurers, across Bronze, Gold and Catastrophic tiers.

Research Approach

We collected premiums, deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket limits at ages 18, 26, 40, 50 and 60 for all nine insurers on the 2026 marketplace. Both HMO and EPO plans are included, and insurer averages count Cascade Select and Cascade Care plans where an insurer sells them.

Why We Focus on 40-Year-Olds

Our rankings use a 40-year-old as the main baseline so every insurer is compared at the same age. A 40-year-old is used to reflect a typical marketplace buyer.

Age-Specific Rankings

The cheapest insurer at 18 isn't the same as at 60, so the age section uses each age group's actual premiums and shows the lowest-cost option for each.

How We Rate Insurers

Each insurer's MoneyGeek rating out of 5 weights average monthly premium at 60%, average deductible at 20% and average out-of-pocket maximum at 20%. Insurers are scored only against others selling the same plan type and metal level, so Bronze EPO plans go up against other Bronze EPO plans. On each measure, the best insurer gets full points, the weakest gets half points and the rest fall in between.

The ratings on the company cards use Bronze plans: CHPW against other Bronze EPO plans, and Coordinated Care and Kaiser Permanente against other Bronze HMO plans. The monthly rate, deductible and MOOP figures beside each rating are averages across all of that insurer's plan groups, every tier and the five ages we priced.