Best Cheap Health Insurance in Washington for 2023

Ambetter has the cheapest health insurance in most of Washington state. Its low costs and good quality ratings make it the best health insurance company for most people in Washington.

Comparing plans can help you lower your costs. Shoppers save an average of $75 per month by choosing the cheapest Silver plan offered in their county. Those who have low to moderate incomes are eligible for discounted rates. In Washington, those who get these subsidies pay an average of $132 per month for health insurance.

Cheapest health insurance in Washington by tier

A health insurance plan from Ambetter can cost as little as $259 per month (before subsidies) in Washington state.

In Washington, you can buy individual health insurance through the Washington Healthplanfinder marketplace, and individual health insurance is categorized into three different metal tiers based on the level of coverage: Bronze, Silver and Gold.

The most affordable health plan at each metal tier costs between $259 and $360 per month. These are the cheapest policies overall, but they are not available in every county in the state.

The better metal tiers have higher monthly costs but lower deductibles. For example, the Gold plan costs $101 more per month ($1,212 more per year) than the Bronze plan, but the Gold plan has a deductible that is $5,100 lower.

Health insurance rate changes in Washington

Health insurance in Washington costs 8% more on average for 2023 than for 2022. The largest cost increases were for Bronze plans, which increased by 9%. Insurance companies set their own rates and then send the rates to state regulators for approval.

The best health insurance coverage in Washington state

In many cases, the best health insurance will be a Silver plan, as these policies are in the middle in terms of rates and deductibles.

Ultimately the best health insurance coverage in Washington for you will depend on your income and medical needs. Before choosing a plan, you should assess the monthly cost and deductibles and decide on affordability based on your income and savings.

Silver: Best for most people

Silver policies are the only health insurance plans where someone who has an income below 250% of the federal poverty level can get improved insurance benefits to lower medical costs. If you qualify, cost-sharing reductions can lower what you pay for copays, coinsurance and deductibles. For this reason, Silver-tier policies can sometimes be the most cost-effective plans offered on the health insurance exchange.

Bronze: Best for young, healthy people

Bronze plans are the cheapest plans offered on the Washington Healthplanfinder marketplace. Although these plans have low monthly costs, they have high deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums, so you'll pay more for medical care.

For those who are young or healthy, the amount you save each month for a Bronze plan can make it worth it to have higher medical costs when you do need care. And if you need an unexpected surgery or major medical care, a Bronze plan will still protect you by capping your costs at about $8,550 per year.

Gold plans: Best if you have high medical expenses

Gold health insurance plans are the most expensive option in Washington. These plans are the best choice if you expect to have high medical costs because you'll have a lower deductible.

This means if you have a Gold plan, you will need to spend less to reach the point where insurance covers much of the bill when you go to the doctor or need medical care.

Short-term health insurance in Washington

Historically, Washington has banned the sale of short-term health insurance. However, the state adopted new rules in 2019 allowing insurance companies to sell short-term health insurance with a maximum coverage length of three months. Renewals are not permitted.

Despite being permitted, there are currently no short-term policies available in Washington because the only company offering plans in the state, LifeMap, stopped offering policies in mid-2022.

If you need short-term coverage, we recommend signing up for a traditional health insurance plan on Washington Healthplanfinder. You can enroll either during fall open enrollment or if your situation qualifies you for a special enrollment period. And you can cancel your plan at any time.

Best cheap health insurance companies in Washington

Ambetter has the best, cheap rates for most people in Washington, but there are a total of 10 health insurance companies on the Washington state marketplace.

Although all of these insurance companies sell policies in the state, they may not offer plans where you live. For example, residents of the state's smallest county, Garfield County, only have access to policies offered by LifeWise and Ambetter.

Cheapest Silver plan by county

The cost of your health insurance and the available policies will vary depending on the county in which you live. For example, the Ambetter Cascade Silver plan costs $386 per month in King County and $466 per month in Grant County, based on rates for a 40-year-old. Below you can see how the cost of the cheapest Silver plan in your county compares to average rates.

Frequently asked questions

Methodology

ValuePenguin collected health insurance rates and plans from the Washington Healthplanfinder state insurance exchange. Averages were determined from the rates across a variety of variables including metal tier, age and county.