Washington residents who purchase health insurance or receive financial assistance through Washington Healthplanfinder should be aware of several federal changes that are already affecting coverage and costs, with additional changes scheduled for 2027 and 2028.
Health and dental insurance will remain available in Washington regardless of immigration status. However, changes in federal law affect who qualifies for federal financial assistance, how much assistance may be available, and what some people will need to do to maintain coverage.
One of the most noticeable changes is the reduction in federal financial assistance available to help pay insurance premiums. Enhanced federal tax credits that were available from 2021 through 2025 expired on December 31, 2025. Although some premium tax credits remain available, many households may receive less assistance than they did previously.
Washington residents with household incomes of up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level may still qualify for Cascade Care Savings, depending on their circumstances. This state-funded assistance can help eligible households reduce the cost of health insurance even as some federal assistance programs change.
Health savings accounts are also becoming available to more people. Beginning January 1, 2026, Bronze and Catastrophic plans offered through Washington Healthplanfinder are considered high-deductible health plans for purposes of contributing to a health savings account. An HSA allows eligible individuals to set aside money for qualified medical expenses.
Federal changes also significantly affect certain immigrants. People with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status stopped qualifying for federal tax credits as of October 1, 2025. Beginning in 2026, some lawfully present immigrants with incomes below 100 percent of the federal poverty level also lost access to federal premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions.
Additional restrictions begin January 1, 2027. At that point, federal financial assistance will generally be limited to lawful permanent residents, qualifying Cuban-Haitian Entrants, and Compact of Free Association migrants. Washington's state-funded Cascade Care Savings may remain available to qualifying residents regardless of immigration status. Children and pregnant people may also continue applying for Apple Health regardless of immigration status.
Keeping income information accurate will become increasingly important. Financial assistance is calculated using the income reported on a person's application. Beginning with the 2026 tax year, people who receive more federal financial assistance than they ultimately qualify for may have to repay the entire excess amount when filing their federal income tax return. Previous income-based limits on how much someone might have to repay will no longer apply.
This means a change in employment, wages, household income, or other financial circumstances should be reported promptly. Failing to update income information could result in receiving too much assistance during the year and facing an unexpected repayment at tax time.
Consumers will also need to pay closer attention to annual enrollment and renewal requirements. People who fail to confirm or update their information may no longer be automatically reenrolled with financial assistance for the following year. Some applicants may also be asked to provide additional documentation before their eligibility for coverage or financial assistance can be confirmed.
The 2027 open enrollment period begins November 1, 2026, and continues through January 15, 2027. Those who enroll by December 31 can have coverage beginning January 1. People enrolling between January 1 and January 15 will generally have coverage beginning February 1.
Additional changes are scheduled for 2028, when individuals seeking federal financial assistance will be required to demonstrate that they qualify before receiving that assistance.
With several changes occurring over multiple years, Washington residents should not assume that the rules that applied to their health insurance in previous years will continue unchanged. Reading notices from Washington Healthplanfinder and insurance companies, keeping household and income information current, and paying close attention to enrollment deadlines will become increasingly important.
The changes do not mean health insurance is disappearing in Washington. They do mean that eligibility, financial assistance, documentation, and renewal requirements are changing. Understanding those changes early can help individuals and families prepare for their future health insurance costs and avoid unexpected problems with coverage or federal tax credit repayments.