Health Insurance
Find the Best Health Insurance Plan for You, Your Family, and Your Budget
In 2010, a health care reform law was enacted to increase people’s access to affordable health insurance. Known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or “Obamacare,” the ACA provides consumers with premium tax credits (subsidies) that lower health care costs for households with low incomes.
What Is the ACA Marketplace?
The ACA was followed by Marketplaces — a buying or enrollment service run by the government to help individuals and families who aren’t offered health insurance by a large employer. The law also aimed to expand Medicaid to cover all adults with incomes below a certain percentage of the federal poverty level. This expansion of Medicaid eligibility led to the development of the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Note: Many states opted out of expanding Medicaid.
The Marketplace varies by state. In general, it lets you compare various private health insurance plans and choose the best one for your needs. If you don’t have an ACA marketplace in your state, you’ll be redirected to the ACA-compliant Marketplace through the official site.
State Marketplaces We Serve
- Connect for Health Colorado
- Nevada Health Link
- Covered California
- MNSure
- Washington HealthPlanFinder
How Else Does the Law Help?
When the ACA was created, it included some important changes, with the most notable being the eligibility of people with pre-existing conditions to enroll in health insurance coverage. Under this change, insurance companies can’t turn anybody down due to a pre-existing condition. This change has allowed millions of Americans to have access to health insurance.
However, because of this change, those who are healthy pay the same price for health insurance as someone who had a pre-existing condition, causing the unequal distribution of health insurance premiums.
Premium rates are determined by your zip code, income, age, and gender.
Additionally, tobacco users might have to pay up to 50% more on their monthly premiums. The coverage on the exchanges is not free, but many people who use them will be able to receive federal subsidies, or premium tax credits, to help them purchase a health plan. These subsidies apply to middle class families. Learn more about current subsidy rates for 2021 here.
How I Can Help
I’m certified on the state and federal marketplaces. When you contact me, I’ll help you identify your health insurance needs and budget, and present you with options to address those needs.
Individual Health Insurance Plans
I customize your health insurance plan to fit your unique needs. Whether you’re just looking for a low-cost, emergency-only plan, or need a plan with higher coverage and low out-of-pocket costs, or something in between, I can help. Tell me your price point and coverage needs, and I’ll help you find the perfect fit.
Family Health Insurance Plans
Your family is the most important thing in your life. It makes sense to protect their health and future with insurance. Let me help you choose coverage tailored to your family — without breaking the bank. It’ll put your mind at ease.
Short-Term Health Insurance Plans
If you need insurance as soon as tomorrow to cover the next 30 to 90 days, contact me, Katherine Phillips. I’ll help you secure immediate coverage for yourself and/or your family. Depending on the carrier, it’s even possible to make one payment for the entire coverage period.
What Type of Coverage Can You Get?
All Marketplace plans have to provide (at minimum) a menu of these essential benefits:
- Prescription drugs
- Laboratory services
- Emergency services
- Ambulatory patient services
- Rehabilitative services and devices
- Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care
- Hospitalization (surgery and overnight stays)
- Pediatric services (including oral and vision care)
- Preventative and wellness services, plus chronic disease management
- Mental health and substance use disorder services (includes counseling)
There are four basic types of plans: bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. While plans can mix different premiums, deductibles, and co-pays, you’ll know what to expect to pay (out of pocket) in each type.
What Else You Should Know
When you complete a Marketplace application, you’ll see if you qualify for premium tax credits and extra savings. You can use a premium tax credit (PTC) for a plan in any metal category, but if you’re eligible for extra savings too, you must choose a Silver plan to get those savings.
Get Help from an Independent Agent
As an independent agent, I work in U65 on the marketplace and privately in 10 states. Contact me to get help finding the best health insurance plan for you, your family, and your budget. My help is FREE, so what do you have to lose?