Apple Health Expansion enrollment cap

Beginning July 2024, eligibility for Washington Apple Health coverage is expanding to adults age 19 and older with certain immigration statuses. This new program is called Apple Health Expansion.

Apple Health Expansion’s funding was determined by the 2024 legislative session. Due to a limited budget, the Health Care Authority (HCA) needs to manage the number of people who can enroll into the program to ensure clients receive the highest value care possible.

HCA plans to enroll up to 13,000 people into Apple Health Expansion. Detailed information about when people can apply and how those in current coverage programs will be automatically transitioned to Apple Health Expansion will be available in late April. Eligible groups (detailed below) are transitioned into the program first, and then clients applying for Apple Health Expansion will be enrolled until the enrollment cap has been met.

Groups with current coverage who will be automatically transitioned to Apple Health

Qualified Health Plan enrollees who are eligible for Apple Health Expansion

Qualified Health Plan (QHP) customers currently paying for their health coverage, who are eligible for the free Apple Health Expansion program, will be transitioned if they are:

1) Enrolled in QHP coverage in May; and

2) Do not have their QHP coverage cancelled before transition activities occur in June.

  • State premium subsidies for QHP coverage can no longer be applied if a QHP customer has a free coverage option through Apple Health Expansion.

HCA will follow current eligibility practices to transition eligible individuals to this new program effective July 1, 2024, in partnership with the Washington Health Benefit Exchange. Impacted customers will receive notifications from Washington Healthplanfinder about the transition starting in May.

  • QHP customers who do not sign up by the end of April, for QHP coverage in May, and do not pay for their May coverage, will not be automatically transitioned, and will need to apply when Apple Health Expansion opens.

Clients transitioning from AEM coverage

Clients enrolled in Alien Emergency Medical (AEM) will transition to Apple Health Expansion starting July 1, 2024. AEM only covers qualifying medical emergencies.

  • HCA made the decision to provide these clients enrolled in AEM with comprehensive health coverage.

Clients enrolling through Apple Health application systems

Note: New clients applying for Apple Health Expansion will be enrolled until the enrollment cap has been met after the above groups have been transitioned.

Applications for enrollment into Apple Health Expansion will be processed through one of two application portals.

  • Washington Connection (administered by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) for individuals who are age 65 or older, have blindness, or a disability).
    • Applications submitted through Washington Connection take 48 hours to update in HCA’s enrollment system.
  • Washington Healthplanfinder (administered by HBE for individuals who are age 19 through 64, including individual adults, parents and caretakers, pregnant individuals, and children).
    • Submissions through Washington Healthplanfinder are processed in real time.

Due to the differences in the application systems’ processing times and to account for paper applications, HCA will save enrollment slots for Washington Connection applications to ensure equity and prevent over enrollment.

What happens after the enrollment cap has been met?

View other health care options currently available to see if you or your family qualify for:

Apple Health programs

Qualified Health Plans and Cascade Care Savings options for immigrant communities

All Washingtonians, regardless of immigration status, may shop for and purchase QHPs.

More about Apple Health Expansion

Learn more about Apple Health Expansion eligibility, benefits, and services and stay up to date on changes.