Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Policies

Washington has no laws requiring insurers to offer Medicare Supplement policies to disabled individuals.

Mini-COBRA Policies (small group)

In Washington, insurers are required to offer employees the option of having a continuation coverage provision; however, continuation coverage is not mandated in group policies.

Medicare Savings Programs (premium support)

Washington has three Medicare Savings Programs:

Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (QMBs): For individuals with a monthly income under $903 and for couples with a monthly income under $1214, the state pays all premiums for Part B and all Co-Pays and Deductibles for Parts A & B
Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiaries (SLMBs): For individuals with income under $1083 or couples with income under $1457, the state pays premiums for Part B.
Qualified Individuals (QIs): For individuals with income under $1218 or for couples with an income under $1639, the state pays premiums for Part B.

To qualify for any one of these programs, participants must have assets below $6,600 or be part of a couple with assets below $9,910.

State Health Insurance Assistance Program
Washington's Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) HelpLine provides free, unbiased information about healthcare coverage and access to help improve the lives of all Washington State residents. Assistance is offered to consumers of all ages and walks of life through a network that includes over 519 volunteers, 20 non-profit organizations who sponsor the program at the local level, and numerous community-based partners. A cadre of bi-lingual volunteers, translated publications, and the AT&T Language Line are available to help all clients regardless of English language literacy.
http://www.insurance.wa.gov/shiba/index.shtml

High-Risk Pool
The Washington State Health Insurance Pool offers individual insurance plans on the basis of medical eligibility. Washington is unusual in offering a plan to both adults and Medicare recipients. Medicare recipients must prove that they have limited access to Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage plans to qualify for the latter plan. For adults under sixty-five, the high-risk pool is open on the basis of medical eligibility.

https://www.wship.org/default.asp

Low-Income Subsidy (“extra-help”) for Prescription Drugs
This program is a subsidy for Part D recipients with resources under $13,070 (or $26,120 for a couple) to receive money towards a Medicare prescription drug plan. The benchmark of support is different depending on which region of the country you live in. In Washington in 2012, the low-income subsidy was $36.45 per month.

If you live in Washington, and you are interested in getting a Medicare Plan, please contact the Medicare experts at eAmeriFamily Insurance. They are industry veterans and will guide you through the process of getting the right Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or MediGap Plan for you.