Washington's infant mortality rate in 2000 was 5.2 per 1,000 live births, well below the national norm of 6.9. In 1999 there were 25,523 abortions performed, or 20 per 1,000 women. In 2000, the overall death rate, 756.2 per 100,000 population, was well below the national rate of 873.1; the rates for heart disease and cancer were lower than the national rates as well. The HIV mortality rate of 2.2 per 100,000 population was below the national rate in 2000; a total 10,005 AIDS cases had been reported through 2001. In the 2000, 20.7% of persons 18 years of age and older were smokers
Leading causes of death in 2000 were heart disease (195.7 deaths per 100,000 population), cancer (183.6 deaths per 100,000), accidents and adverse effects (35.3 deaths per 100,000), and suicide (12.5 deaths per 100,000).
Washington's 84 community hospitals had 522,624 admissions and 11,382 beds in 2001. There were 15,773 full-time registered nurses and 1,395 full-time licensed practical nurses in 2001 and 274 physicians per 100,000 population in 2000. The average expense of a community hospital for care was $1,164.30 per inpatient day in 2001.
Federal government grants to cover the Medicare and Medicaid services in 2001 totaled $2.5 billion; 745,859 enrollees received Medicare benefits that year. At least 13.1% of Washington's residents were uninsured in 2002.