It’s a contract between you and an insurance company. Health insurance helps pay your medical bills when you need care. Knowing what options are available can help save you time, money and frustration.
There are four ways you can get your health insurance:
1. The most common way people get their health insurance is through a group sponsor, such as:
- Employer
- Fraternal organization
- Chamber of commerce
- Professional organization
2. You can buy an individual health plan during open enrollment:
- Directly from a insurance company or agent.
- Through the Washington Healthplanfinder where you may qualify for subsidies to help pay your plan's premiums.
- The 2024 annual open enrollment period runs Nov. 1, 2023 through Dec. 15, 2023 for health coverage to start Jan. 1, 2024, and Dec. 16, 2023 through Jan. 15, 2024 for coverage to start Feb. 1, 2024. If you missed this enrollment period, you can still enroll if you qualify for Apple Health or a special enrollment period.
3. You may qualify for Apple Health, also called Medicaid in our state.
4. You can apply for Medicare if you're age 65 or older, or under age 65 on Social Security Disability Income, or diagnosed with certain diseases.