Registration begins Thursday for Apple Health’s new program that provides health care coverage to Washington adults without legal status. Applications for the Medicaid-like program, known as Apple Health Expansion, will be open to all undocumented immigrants in Washington with income up to 138% of the federal poverty rate. Coverage begins July 1.
Apple Health Expansion will cover, with some limitations, primary and specialty care, emergency visits, dental services, pediatric care, pregnancy and labor services and others. There are no out-of-pocket costs or copays. To apply, you must be a Washington resident at least 19 years old; not qualify for other Apple Health programs based on immigration status; not be pregnant or have been pregnant in the last year; and not be eligible for qualified health plans with advance premium tax codes or federally funded medical assistance programs.
The state Health Care Authority plans to cap new enrollments at 13,000 people, so public health officials have urged people to register as soon as possible. All residents regardless of immigration status became eligible to purchase health coverage on Washington Healthplanfinder in November, after the state received federal approval on a waiver that allowed undocumented immigrants to buy private health plans. Last year , state lawmakers put aside about $45 million to create the Apple Health Expansion program.
During this year’s legislative session , they allocated another $28 million to keep the .