Health and ACA
ACA Marketplace open enrollment in McAllen: what to know before November
Open enrollment for Marketplace health coverage, how subsidies work in South Texas, and what to gather before you apply.
Health and ACA
What is Obamacare and how does it work?
Obamacare and the ACA Marketplace are the same thing. Here is what it is, who it is for, and what the law changed.
Health and ACA
How much does Obamacare cost per month?
There is no one price. Your age, where you live, your household size and your income all change the bill. Here is what drives it.
Health and ACA
Do I qualify for an Obamacare subsidy?
It comes down to household income, household size, and whether you can get coverage another way. Here is how the Marketplace decides.
Health and ACA
What is the income limit to qualify for Obamacare?
There is no single dollar cutoff. The limits are percentages of the federal poverty level, and your household size moves the line.
Health and ACA
How do I apply for Obamacare or Marketplace insurance?
What to have ready before you start, the four ways to apply, and the spots where applications most often go wrong.
Health and ACA
Can I get health insurance if I lost my job or lost coverage?
Losing job based coverage opens a 60 day window to enroll on the Marketplace. Here is how that compares with COBRA, and what to check first.
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What is a special enrollment period and do I qualify?
The life events that let you sign up outside open enrollment, the 60 day window, and the papers the Marketplace will ask you for.
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Is Obamacare free? Can I get a $0 premium plan?
Some households do pay nothing each month for a Marketplace plan. That is not the same as care that costs you nothing, and the difference matters.
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What is the difference between bronze, silver, gold and platinum plans?
The metal level tells you how costs are split between you and the plan, not how good the care is. One level carries a discount the others do not.
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Can I keep my doctor with a Marketplace plan?
Only if that doctor is in the network of the exact plan you pick. How to check the directory, the billing office and the hospital before you enroll.
Health and ACA
What is the premium tax credit and how does it work?
The premium tax credit lowers your monthly Marketplace premium. How the amount is set, and why the income you estimate matters at tax time.
Health and ACA
What is the deductible and out of pocket maximum on a Marketplace plan?
The deductible is what you pay before a Marketplace plan starts sharing costs. The out of pocket maximum is the ceiling on what one year can cost you.
Health and ACA
Can immigrants and green card holders get Obamacare?
Lawfully present immigrants can buy Marketplace coverage and can qualify for the premium tax credit. Here is who counts and how mixed status families apply.
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What is the Texas coverage gap?
Texas did not widen Medicaid, so some adults earn too little for Marketplace help and too much for Medicaid. Here is what to do if that is you.
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What documents do I need to apply for Marketplace insurance?
The papers to gather before you start, plus the document requests that arrive after you enroll and can end coverage when people ignore them.
Health and ACA
Can I get Obamacare if I am self employed?
The Marketplace was largely built for people in your situation. How to report an income that moves, and the tax deduction most people miss.
Health and ACA
Do I have to have health insurance? Is there still a penalty?
No federal penalty since 2019, and none in Texas. Here is what going without actually costs you instead.
Health and ACA
How do I renew or change my Marketplace plan?
Doing nothing renews you automatically, and that is rarely the right outcome. Here is what to check every November before the deadline.
Health and ACA
Can I use a broker to sign up for Obamacare, and does it cost extra?
Using a licensed agent costs you nothing. How agents are paid, what one should do for you, and what one cannot do.
Health and ACA
Why did my Marketplace premium go up?
Four things can push a Marketplace premium up, and only one is about you. How to tell which one hit you, and what to do before you renew.