Washington state has reached an agreement with the state’s high risk pool — the Washington State Health Insurance Pool (WSHIP) — to run the temporary federally- funded Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan.

Applications will be available in early August, with coverage beginning Sept. 1.

“I’m very grateful to the Washington State Health Insurance Pool for its willingness to take on this important new program,” said Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. “The Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan is a temporary, yet vital program for those most in need of health insurance.”

The new plan, created by the Affordable Care Act, is designed to provide temporary health insurance to people who have been uninsured for at least six months and who have a pre-existing health condition. WSHIP has contracted directly with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and will run the program alongside the state’s current high risk pool.

Unlike WSHIP, the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan has a list of pre-existing medical conditions that qualify you for immediate coverage. To qualify for WSHIP, you must be rejected for individual coverage and wait six months for coverage of pre-existing conditions.

“The Washington State Health Insurance Pool has a long history of providing the sickest residents in our state with access to critical insurance coverage,” said WSHIP’s Executive Director, Kären Larson. “Running this new program is in line with our mission of providing a lifeline to the most vulnerable in our state.”

To qualify for the new plan, individuals must:

• Be a citizen or national of the United States or a legal resident of the United States

• Have been uninsured for at least six months before applying

• Have a pre-existing condition

Washington state joins 29 other states that are using federal funds to run its own program. The Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan ends in 2014, when full health reform takes effect and people cannot be denied health insurance because of a pre-existing condition.

“There are many benefits to running the new plan ourselves,” said Kreidler. “By maintaining local control, we can modify the proposal to meet the needs of Washington residents.”

Learn more about the new Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan at www.insurance.wa.gov.