Washington Medicaid Requirements: Eligibility & Coverage

Since the 1960s, the Medicaid program has been helping low-income families and individuals receive medical coverage that would otherwise elude them. However, just because a family has a low income doesn't mean that it will automatically receive Medicaid funds. Medical history and financial information are all-important factors in determing fitness for state funds, and Washington is no exception.

What Medicaid Covers

• Medicaid in Washington may in some cases require a small premium, depending on the recipient's income level. Those eligible for Medicaid with will receive coverage for necessary visits to a physician, emergency care, maternity care, mental health services, help with substance dependency, prescriptions and dental and vision care. They will even receive assistance with transportation and language difficulties.

Eligibility

• Residents of Washington whose income is 70 percent of the federal poverty level or lower may be eligible for Medicaid coverage. Other factors include child-support payments, unemployment checks, retirement funds and how much cash the resident has on hand or in bank accounts. In general, the more financial obligations a resident has, the easier it will be to receive state coverage. Interested residents may test their eligibility on Washington's Health Services website.

Coverage for Children

• If residents are eligible for Medicaid and have a family, then chances are good that their children also qualify for Washington's Medicaid-affiliated Apple Health for Kids program. Whether or not there is a $20 or $30 premium to pay for each child depends on the parents' income level, but children will receive the same care as their parents, with the addition of a more generous dental and vision package.