What is WSHIP?

The Washington State Health Insurance Pool (www.wship.org) offers individual health insurance plans to state residents who can't get other individual health coverage due to medical reasons. WSHIP plans provide comprehensive coverage, including prescription-drug benefits. Premiums are based on your age and type of plan you select.

Premiums for WSHIP coverage are higher than commercial health plans. However, WSHIP offers some high-deductible plan options with lower premiums.

Types of health plans

WSHIP sells the following health plans (www.wship.org) (PDF, 79 KB) for people who aren't on Medicare:

• Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Plan: Offers comprehensive coverage, 20-percent coinsurance, and deductibles from $500 to $5,000.
• Health Savings Account (HSA) Qualified Preferred Provider Plan (PPO): A high-deductible health plan you can use with an HSA.
• Limited Preferred Provider Plan A: A less-comprehensive PPO plan with limited prescription drug benefits.
• Limited Preferred Provider Plan B: Similar to Limited Plan A, but offers no maternity coverage.
• Standard Plan: A fee-for-service plan, which pays the same level of coverage for network and non-network providers.

WSHIP also sells the Medicare Basic Plan (www.wship.org) (PDF, 64 KB) for people who have Medicare.

Plan costs

• Costs vary depending on the plan (non-Medicare plans (www.wship.org) (PDF, 37 KB) or Medicare Basic Plan (www.wship.org) (PDF, 14 KB)) you choose, and the deductible.
• Generally, higher deductibles equal lower monthly rates.

Contact WSHIP

For more information, call 800-877-5187 or go to WSHIP's website (www.wship.org).

Updated 03/12/2013