Patient Bill of Rights
Your benefit rights
State and federal law require some health benefits to be in all insurance plans.
Before you sign up or your employer adds you to a plan, the plan must tell you the following:
Jeannie Lockhart
The Washington State Health Insurance Pool (WSHIP)
Created by the state Legislature, WSHIP offers insurance to Washingtonians rejected in the individual market for health reasons.
With health reform, insurance companies can no longer deny individual coverage due to health reasons. However, health reform does not apply to Medicare Supplement plans. Insurance companies can continue to reject or limit Medicare supplement coverage due to health issues.
Tribal members
Find coverage
You may qualify for free or low-cost health insurance through the Washington Healthplanfinder if you meet all the requirements below:
- You're under age 65.
- You're not on Medicare.
- You're a member of a federally recognized tribe or a shareholder in an Alaska Native Corporation.
The benefits of joining a health plan through the Washington Healthplanfinder include: