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Washington Basic Health

New Phone Hours

Starting January 2, 2013, Basic Health and Washington Health customer service phone hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you need immediate assistance between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., email bhwh@hca.wa.gov. A Basic Health or Washington Health representative will respond to your request as soon as possible, but no later than 24 business hours from when we receive your request. The Basic Health and Washington Health customer service phone number is 1-800-660-9840.

Basic Health Eligibility

Basic Health is a state-sponsored program providing low-cost health care coverage through private health plans.

To be eligible for BH, you must:

• Be a Washington resident;
• Be a US Citizen or qualified non-citizen;
• Be between 19-64 years old;
• Have gross family income at or below 200% of the Federal Income Guidelines;
• Have countable income for your family between 0-133% of the Federal Income Guidelines;
• Not be eligible for Medicaid or be receiving medical care services;
• Not be eligible for free or purchased Medicare;
• Not be a full-time student who has received a temporary visa to study in the United States;
• Not be institutionalized at the time of enrollment; and
• Not be enrolled in the Washington Health Program

Basic Health has a Wait List

Register for the wait list online

To stay within the appropriated budget, Basic Health is no longer processing incoming applications to determine eligibility and has officially implemented a waiting list. New applicants will be placed on a list behind those already waiting. When space becomes available in the future, Basic Health will release names from the list in date-received order and notify applicants.

The following groups, however, may by-pass this wait list. This includes:

• Foster Parents
• Personal Care Workers
• Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC)
• Tribal Sponsored Accounts
• Washington National Guard or Reserves who served in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation Noble Eagle.
• BH Plus and Maternity applicants who we sent to DSHS and who were deemed ineligible for DSHS programs.
• Former BH members who disenrolled due to Medicaid coverage who have since lost that coverage and notified BH within 30 days.

To request an application for these programs please call 1-800-660-9840.

To get on the wait list, please call 1-800-660-9840 or register online. Only one person needs to register one time for the entire household. Please use your mailing address and not your emaill address to register. We will notify you when space becomes available.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the wait list
Frequently asked questions about dually eligible members

The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) may be able to help you with medical assistance.

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Class Action Lawsuit Information

A class action lawsuit against the Health Care Authority was recently filed regarding the March 1, 2011 disenrollment of Basic Health members not lawfully present in the United States. On September 28, the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington issued a preliminary injunction ordering Basic Health to offer re-enrollment to approximately 11,000 members in two classes, the Equal Protection Class and the Due Process Class.

There are approximately 1,500 members that fall into the Equal Protection Class. These are the members that provided some documentation that they are lawfully present in the United States, but did not meet the 5-years required to receive services.

The remaining members fall into the Due Process class. The judge said Basic Health did not give them sufficient notice about the reason for their disenrollment, how to provide documentation of immigration status, and their appeal rights.

Basic Health is sending notification to the affected members offering them coverage effective December 1, 2011 if they pay their premium.

• FAQs (45.6 KB)
• September 28, 2011 Ruling (235.8 KB)
• Equal Protection Class Letter (77.7 KB)
• Due Process Class Letter (80.9 KB)
• Acceptable Immigration Documents (441.3 KB)
• Continued Eligibility Determination Form (267.4 KB)
• CR-103E 182-22-320 (190.6 KB)
• 182-22-320 (Emergency Rule) (34.6 KB)

Contact Information:

For Eligibility and Enrollment Questions:	For Lawsuit Questions:
Basic Health 1-800-660-9840	Northwest Health Law Advocates and Riddell Williams, P.S. 206-389-1665 1-888-989-1665 basichealthcase@nohla.org

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Disenrollment Update

The 2011 Supplemental Budget, reduced Basic Health's (BH) funding and limited eligibility guidelines. Effective March 1, 2011 only those enrollees who are determined to be Transition Eligible under the 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver or are foster parents licensed under chapter 74.15 RCW continue to be eligible for subsidized coverage. (See eligibility guidelines above).

To meet the new budget appropriations, BH disenrolled approximately 17,000 members effective March 1, 2011 and is transitioning about 1,700 children to Apple Health for Kids effective April 1, 2011.

See more information here.

Sample Letters for Disenrollment Process

Notice of Disenrollment: English (91.9 KB) | Spanish (91.2 KB)

Non-Transitional Eligible Over 65 Disenrollment: English (91.6 KB) | Spanish (88.9 KB)

Non-Transitional Eligible Over 133% FIG: English (91.4 KB) | Spanish (88.9 KB)

Apple Health for Kids Transition: English (56.1 KB) | Spanish (57.7 KB)

Correction Notice - Disenrollment Appeal (sent to Spanish population only): English (81.2 KB) | Spanish (81.7 KB)