Apple Health and Medicare

Apple Health is what Washington calls Medicaid. If you are 65 or older, blind or disabled, there is a category built for you — and you can have it alongside Medicare.

What Apple Health is

Apple Health is Washington's Medicaid program. Same thing, state name. If a national website or a form says Medicaid, here that means Apple Health.

It covers doctor visits, hospital care and other medical services. For people who also have Medicare, it can help with costs Medicare leaves behind.

Who this category is for

Washington runs a specific Apple Health category for people who are 65 or older, blind, or disabled. It is sometimes called Apple Health Classic. The rules are different from the Apple Health most working-age adults get, which is why a friend's experience may not match yours.

Income guidelines

Washington publishes screening figures. Read the sentence after them before you decide they rule you out.

Washington screening guidelines

Eligibility limits change periodically. Please verify the current limits with the program before applying.

See current limits at Washington State Health Care Authority

This is a screening guideline, not a decision. Medicaid eligibility depends on how income and resources are counted and on your individual circumstances. Two people with identical bank statements can get different answers, which is exactly why the state decides and we do not.

Resources do count here

This is where Apple Health differs from Washington's Medicare Savings Programs. Those have no asset test. This Apple Health category generally does consider resources.

That does not mean savings automatically disqualify you. It means resources are part of the calculation, with their own exclusions — the home you live in generally among them. If you were told “Medicaid counts your savings” and concluded that applied to every Washington program, that was wrong.

Having both Medicare and Apple Health

Plenty of people have both. When you do, Medicare generally pays first and Apple Health can pick up costs behind it.

Having full Apple Health also brings Extra Help with it automatically, which lowers prescription costs. If you have Apple Health and are still paying full price at the pharmacy, something needs chasing.

Having both can also change which Medicare coverage makes sense, and can open opportunities to change coverage outside the usual windows. That is a conversation for after approval, not before.

If your income is above the guideline

Washington has a Medically Needy pathway, sometimes called spenddown, for certain people who meet a Medicaid category but whose income sits above the standard. Allowable medical expenses can be applied toward a spenddown amount.

We do not calculate spenddown amounts here and neither should any website. Washington HCA and DSHS make that determination. Ask them about it by name — it does not always come up on its own.

How to apply

Apply through Washington Connection Call DSHS: 877-501-2233

Do not send us your documents. American Senior Choices does not process Medicaid applications and does not determine eligibility. Never send anything containing your Social Security number, Medicare number, Medicaid number or bank details to us, or to anyone who contacts you first.

Questions people actually ask

Is Apple Health the same as Medicaid?

Yes. Apple Health is the name Washington uses for its Medicaid program. If a form or a national website says Medicaid, in Washington that means Apple Health.

Can I have Medicare and Apple Health at the same time?

Yes, and many people do. When you have both, Medicare generally pays first and Apple Health can help with costs Medicare leaves behind. Having both also brings Extra Help for prescriptions automatically.

Is this the same as a Medicare Savings Program?

No, and the difference matters. A Medicare Savings Program helps with Medicare costs — chiefly the Part B premium. Apple Health is broader health coverage. Some people have one, some have both. Importantly, Washington's Medicare Savings Programs have no asset test, while this Apple Health category does count resources.

Will Apple Health take my house?

This is the question people are most afraid to ask. The home you live in is generally not counted as a resource while you live there. Estate recovery is a separate matter with its own rules, and if that is your concern it is worth speaking to an elder-law attorney rather than relying on anything you read online, including this page.

My income is a little over the guideline. Is it worth applying?

Yes. How income is counted has more nuance than a single figure suggests, and Washington also has a Medically Needy pathway for some people whose income is above the standard. Apply and let the state work it out.

Official sources

Approved for Apple Health? Your Medicare options may have changed.

Having both Medicare and Apple Health can change which coverage fits, and when you are able to change it. Tim can review the plans he represents against your doctors, prescriptions and hospital preferences.

Talk With Tim About Medicare: (360) 472-4261

This line is recorded, as Medicare requires for plan conversations.

Last reviewed September 2026. American Senior Choices does not determine eligibility for government assistance programs. Eligibility is determined by the appropriate government agency. Program rules, income limits, resource limits and benefits can change. For questions about estate recovery, trusts, gifting or spousal impoverishment, speak with an elder-law attorney.

Disclaimer: American Senior Choices is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 5 organizations which offer 33 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.