Qualifying for assisted health care in Washington may be difficult.
The Washington State Basic Health Plan (WSBHP) is a health insurance plan intended for low-income adults and families who do not receive health insurance through their jobs. The program works by providing state subsidies to reduce the cost of private health plans for qualified recipients. The program began in 1987 and was made a permanent fixture of state health care six years later.
Basic Requirements
The primary requirements for eligibility in WSBHP are Washington state residency and low income. To qualify, you must be able to prove you are a permanent resident and have an income of 200 percent or less of the federal poverty guidelines. This income varies by year and according to marital and parental status. The current guidelines can be found on the website for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As of 2009, the federal poverty guideline for a family of three was an annual income of $18,310. By WSBHP calculations, that family's annual income must be $36,620 (200 percent of the guideline) or less to qualify.
Disqualification
Full-time students who are in the U.S. on a student visa are not eligible for WSBHP. Anyone eligible for Medicare or receiving Medicaid services is not qualified for the Basic Health Program. Institutionalized individuals are also not eligible for the service.
Waiting List
The program is highly sought after, and is limited by the available funding of the state. Because of this, the program no longer accepts new applications, even from those who meet the guidelines. To enroll, you must submit your name to a waiting list. As funds become available, people on the waiting list are sent application materials in the order in which their names were entered on the list. As of May 2010, the waiting list for this program was more than 100,000 people.
Exceptions
Applicants to the Basic Health Plan who meet the requirements and are foster parents, personal care workers, members of tribal sponsored accounts or those with certain military or tax credit qualifications and former Basic Health Plan members who meet specific requirements may be allowed to skip the waiting list. If you think you may meet any of these criteria, check the WSBHP website for more details or call 1-800-660-9840.
Alternative Options
Due to the extremely long waiting list, officials at the Basic Health Plan recommend contacting the Department of Health and Social Services (DSHS) or the Office of the Insurance Commissioner for Washington State. Washington also has a prescription drug program and a kids program known as Apple Health for Kids. Contact information for each of these resources as well as guides to shopping for health coverage can be found on the Frequently Asked Questions page of the WSBHP website.
Tags: Basic Health, Basic Health Plan, Health Plan, waiting list, annual income
