Health insurance, in plain language
Most people are not trying to become experts. They are trying to make one decision they will not regret. This page is the map.
Free. No obligation. No flood of calls.
Start with your situation, not the product
Insurance companies organize coverage by product type. People organize their lives by circumstance. These cards are sorted the second way.
I don't get coverage through an employer.
You are shopping the individual market, and depending on your household income you may qualify for a subsidy that lowers your monthly premium. Most people who qualify do not realize it.
Individual & Family Health InsuranceI work for myself.
Freelancers, contractors, and small business owners buy in the same market, but the tax picture is different and the deduction is worth understanding before you choose a plan.
Self-Employed and Small Business OwnersI'm 65 or turning 65.
Medicare has parts, enrollment windows, and penalties for missing them. What you pick the first time is harder to change later than most people expect.
MedicareI'm retiring before Medicare starts.
Leaving work at 60 means covering five years on your own. This is one of the most expensive stretches in the market and one of the most fixable.
Health Insurance Before 65I have a plan I can't afford.
Plans change every year. So does your income. The plan that fit two years ago may be the wrong one now, and switching is more common than most people think.
Switch PlansI need something to cover a gap.
Between jobs, waiting for a start date, or aged off a parent's plan mid-year. Short-term coverage exists for this, with real limitations worth knowing.
Short-Term Health Insurance PlansI just need dental or vision.
Standalone plans cover cleanings, exams, frames, and major work without changing your medical coverage.
Dental and Vision PlansFree. No obligation. No flood of calls.
How a broker actually works, and why it costs you nothing
This is the question people ask most often, usually with some suspicion, so here is the plain answer.
A licensed advisor is paid by the insurance carrier when you enroll, not by you. The commission is built into the premium whether you use an advisor or not. Buying the same plan directly from the carrier does not make it cheaper. It just means nobody shopped the alternatives on your behalf.
What that buys you is someone who can see across carriers instead of one at a time, who knows which networks include your doctors, and who has watched what happens after enrollment when a claim gets denied or a drug is not on the formulary. Comparison sites show you prices. They do not tell you what you are about to walk into.
You are not obligated to enroll in anything. Plenty of conversations end with an advisor telling someone to keep the plan they have.
Free. No obligation. No flood of calls.
The words that trip everyone up
Premium
What you pay every month to have coverage, whether you use it or not.
Deductible
What you pay out of pocket before the plan starts paying its share. A low premium usually means a high deductible. The two move in opposite directions, and choosing on premium alone is the most common expensive mistake in this market.
Out-of-pocket maximum
The most you can pay in a year before the plan covers everything else at 100%. This is the number that matters if something serious happens, and almost nobody looks at it.
Network
The doctors and hospitals your plan has agreed to pay. Going outside it costs dramatically more, and sometimes everything. Check your specific doctors before you enroll, not after.
Subsidy
A federal tax credit that lowers your monthly premium based on household income and size. It applies to plans bought on the marketplace. Eligibility is worth checking even if you assume you earn too much, because the thresholds surprise people.
Formulary
The list of prescriptions a plan covers, and at what tier. If you take something regularly, this list decides more about your annual cost than the deductible does.
Common questions
Is using a broker more expensive than buying directly?
Can I enroll any time of year?
What if I have a pre-existing condition?
Will I get called constantly if I fill out the form?
How do I know if I qualify for a subsidy?
What if I already have a plan and just want to know if it's still the right one?
"Health insurance is so hard to understand but all my questions were answered and in a down-to-earth manner that made me feel comfortable choosing the right plan for me."
Not sure which of these you are?
That is the most common place to start. A licensed advisor will ask a few questions and tell you which path fits, including if the answer is to keep what you have.
See my optionsFree. No obligation. No flood of calls. Or call 855-255-2982.