Washington ESD unemployment benefits count as income for Apple Health eligibility?

Yes, unemployment benefits from Washington ESD do count as income for Apple Health eligibility purposes. You'll need to report your weekly UI amount when you apply. However, the income limits for Apple Health are pretty generous, so you might still qualify even with unemployment benefits.

Thanks! Do you know what the current income limits are? I'm worried $520/week might put me over the threshold.

For 2025, a single person can make up to about $2,100/month and still qualify for Apple Health. Your $520/week comes to roughly $2,250/month, so you might be close to the limit but could still qualify depending on other factors.

ugh this is so confusing! i lost my job 2 months ago and still haven't gotten through to washington esd to even file my claim yet. the phone lines are always busy and i keep getting disconnected. how am i supposed to know what to report for apple health if i can't even get my benefits started??

I had the same problem trying to reach Washington ESD! I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. It was so much easier than spending hours on hold.

never heard of that but willing to try anything at this point. thanks!

Be careful with third party services. Some of them are scams.

Claimyr is legit - they just help you get through the phone queue. I used them last month and finally got my adjudication issue resolved after weeks of trying to call on my own.

I work for a community health center and can confirm that ALL income sources count for Apple Health, including unemployment benefits, Social Security, disability, etc. But don't let that discourage you from applying! Many people on unemployment still qualify, especially if you have other circumstances like dependents or medical expenses.

That's helpful to know. I don't have dependents but I do have some ongoing medical costs. Should I mention those on the application?

Absolutely mention any medical expenses. They can sometimes factor into your eligibility calculation.

Just went through this exact situation last year. My Washington ESD benefits were $480/week and I still qualified for Apple Health. The key is being honest about all your income sources. Don't try to hide the unemployment benefits because they'll find out anyway when they verify your information.

Good to know someone in a similar situation still qualified! Were there any issues during the verification process?

No issues at all. I just had to provide my unemployment award letter from Washington ESD showing my weekly benefit amount. The whole process was pretty straightforward once I had all the paperwork.

The income limits change every year so make sure you're looking at current numbers. Also remember that Apple Health uses monthly income, not weekly, so you'll need to calculate your total monthly UI benefits when filling out the application.

Good point about monthly vs weekly. I'll make sure to do that math correctly.

update - tried that claimyr thing and it actually worked! finally got through to someone at washington esd and got my claim started. now i can figure out what to report for apple health once i know my actual benefit amount

Awesome! Glad it worked for you too. Makes such a difference when you can actually talk to a real person.

That's great news! How long did it take to get through with their service?

like 20 minutes total instead of the hours i was spending trying to call myself

Don't forget that if your income changes while you're on Apple Health, you need to report it within 10 days. So if your unemployment benefits end or if you get a job, make sure to update your case.

Thanks for that reminder. I definitely don't want to get in trouble for not reporting changes.

I'm confused about something - do they count gross unemployment benefits or net after taxes? My Washington ESD payments have taxes taken out automatically.

They typically use gross income, so the full amount before any taxes are taken out. Check with Apple Health directly to be sure, but that's the standard.

That makes sense. Better to overestimate than underestimate I guess.

Pro tip: Apply for Apple Health as soon as possible even if you're not sure about your exact income. You can always update the information later, and there might be a waiting period for coverage to start.

Good advice. I'll get my application in this week.

same boat here, just lost my retail job and trying to navigate all this stuff. at least unemployment is temporary so even if it affects apple health eligibility now, it won't forever

True, I'm hoping to find work again soon anyway. Good luck with your situation!

thanks! you too. this whole thing is stressful but we'll figure it out

Has anyone dealt with Apple Health while on standby status with Washington ESD? I'm laid off but expecting to be called back to work, so I'm on standby instead of regular unemployment. Not sure if that makes a difference for income reporting.

Standby benefits are still unemployment benefits, so they count as income the same way. The only difference is you don't have to do job searches while on standby status.

Got it, thanks. At least I don't have to worry about the job search requirements while dealing with the Apple Health application.

WASHINGTON'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS SO COMPLICATED!! Why can't they just make it simple - if you're unemployed you should automatically qualify for health insurance. Instead we have to jump through all these hoops and worry about income limits.

I feel your frustration but at least Washington expanded Medicaid so more people can qualify compared to other states.

i guess thats true. still annoying though

Quick question - if I'm married but filing separately for Apple Health, do I still need to report my spouse's income even if they have their own insurance through work?

Yes, household income includes your spouse's income even if they have separate insurance. You can't really file separately for Apple Health like you can for taxes.

Ugh, that's what I was afraid of. Their income might put us over the limit even with my unemployment.

I used Claimyr too when I couldn't get through to Washington ESD about my pending adjudication. Definitely worth it if you're stuck in phone queue hell. The website is claimyr.com and they show exactly how it works in their demo video.

Seems like several people have had success with that service. Might be worth trying if I run into issues with my claim.

Just a heads up that Apple Health applications can take a while to process, especially if they need to verify your income. Start the process early so you don't have a gap in coverage.

How long did yours take to process?

About 3 weeks, but that was because they needed additional documentation from Washington ESD about my benefit amount.

remember to keep copies of everything! your unemployment award letter from washington esd, pay stubs if you have any part time work, bank statements, etc. apple health will want documentation for everything you report

Good reminder about keeping documentation. I'll make sure to have everything organized before I apply.

One more thing - if you're denied for Apple Health due to income, ask about other programs. There might be sliding scale options or other assistance available even if you don't qualify for full Apple Health coverage.

That's really helpful to know. I'll ask about alternatives if needed.

This thread has been super helpful! I'm in basically the same situation and was worried about how unemployment would affect my Apple Health eligibility. Sounds like I should just apply and be honest about everything.

Glad it helped you too! Yeah, seems like honesty is definitely the best approach.

Exactly right. Better to be upfront about your income and let them make the determination than to try to hide something and get in trouble later.

I'm dealing with something similar right now - just started receiving Washington ESD benefits last month and need to apply for Apple Health too. One thing I learned is that you can actually start your Apple Health application online before you have all your exact income numbers figured out. They give you 30 days to submit any missing documentation, so you don't have to wait until everything is perfect. Also, if your unemployment benefits put you slightly over the regular Apple Health income limit, you might still qualify for Apple Health with a small premium payment. It's called the "premium assistance" program and could be way cheaper than private insurance. Just thought I'd share since I wish someone had told me about these options earlier!

This whole thread has been incredibly informative! I'm in a similar situation - just lost my job three weeks ago and finally got my Washington ESD claim approved for $465/week. I was really stressed about how this would affect my Apple Health application, but reading everyone's experiences here gives me hope that I might still qualify. The tip about the premium assistance program is especially helpful - I had no idea that was even an option if you're slightly over the regular income limits. Going to start my Apple Health application online this weekend and just be completely honest about my unemployment benefits. Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences instead of just guessing!