Do you get health insurance on unemployment Washington ESD benefits?

Washington doesn't directly provide health insurance through the unemployment program, but you have several options. You can get subsidized coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder (our state exchange) and your unemployment income will likely qualify you for premium tax credits. COBRA is usually way too expensive when you're on UI.

I was in the same situation last year. Applied through Washington Healthplanfinder and got a silver plan for like $80/month with my unemployment income. Way better than the $650 COBRA from my old job. The application process was pretty straightforward too.

Just be aware that if you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD about your claim status or have questions about how your UI income affects healthcare subsidies, there's a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that can help you actually reach an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ showing how it works. Sometimes you need to talk to someone to clarify how unemployment benefits are reported for health insurance purposes.

Also check if you might qualify for Apple Health (Medicaid) depending on your household size and UI benefit amount. Some people on unemployment qualify for free coverage through Apple Health instead of paying for marketplace plans.

whatever you do dont go without insurance!! even if its just catastrophic coverage. i learned that the hard way when i broke my leg while unemployed and had no coverage. medical bills were insane

One more thing - when you apply through Healthplanfinder, make sure you have your most recent UI benefit determination letter. They'll want to verify your unemployment income amount for the subsidy calculation.

I'm dealing with this right now too. Been on unemployment for 6 weeks and still trying to figure out the health insurance situation. My old employer's HR said COBRA was my only option but sounds like that's not true?

For anyone dealing with Washington ESD claim issues while trying to sort out health insurance - I used Claimyr a few months ago when I needed to get clarification about my benefit amount for my healthcare application. Super helpful for actually reaching someone at Washington ESD without spending hours on hold.

Also worth mentioning that if you have dependents, they can get coverage through Apple Health even if you don't qualify yourself. Washington expanded coverage for kids regardless of immigration status too.

I made the mistake of keeping COBRA for 3 months before realizing I could get way cheaper coverage through the marketplace. Wish someone had told me sooner! Don't make my mistake.

The Washington Healthplanfinder website actually has a pretty good calculator tool to estimate what you'd pay based on your unemployment income. I'd recommend playing around with that before making any decisions.

One thing to watch out for - if your unemployment benefits end and you get a new job, you'll need to report that income change right away. Your premium could go up significantly if your new job pays more than your UI benefits.

does anyone know if dental and vision are included in the marketplace plans or if thats separate? my ui benefits arent much and i need to budget carefully

PSA: Don't assume you make too much for Apple Health just because you're getting unemployment. The income limits are higher than people think, especially if you were making minimum wage before getting laid off.

I had so many issues getting Washington ESD to provide the right documentation for my health insurance application. Finally used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and got it sorted out in one call. Their demo video at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ shows exactly how it works.

Quick tip: if you're still within 60 days of losing your employer coverage, you can backdate your marketplace coverage to avoid any gaps. But you have to specifically request this when you enroll.

For what it's worth, I found the customer service at Washington Healthplanfinder to be really helpful when I was figuring all this out. They walked me through the whole application process over the phone.

Just want to emphasize again - do NOT go without health insurance while on unemployment. Even if you think you can't afford it, check all your options first. The financial risk isn't worth it.

Also worth checking if your county has any local health programs or clinics that offer services on a sliding fee scale based on income. Even with marketplace coverage, you might find cheaper options for routine care and prescriptions while you're on unemployment. Some counties in Washington have really good programs that can supplement your insurance coverage.