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 actually is, who it is for, and what it changed.
Health and ACA
How much does Obamacare cost per month?
The sticker price and what you actually pay are usually very different numbers. Here is everything that determines your cost.
Health and ACA
Do I qualify for an Obamacare subsidy?
Eligibility comes down to household income, household size, and whether you have another offer of coverage. Here is how it is decided.
Health and ACA
What is the income limit to qualify for Obamacare?
There is a lower boundary that matters more in Texas than the upper one. Here is how the limits actually work.
Health and ACA
How do I apply for Obamacare or Marketplace insurance?
What to gather before you start, the four ways to apply, and the steps where applications most often go wrong.
Health and ACA
Can I get health insurance if I lost my job or lost coverage?
Yes, and losing coverage opens a 60 day window. Here is how Marketplace coverage usually compares with COBRA.
Health and ACA
What is a special enrollment period and do I qualify?
Life events that let you enroll outside open enrollment, the 60 day deadline, and the proof you will need.
Health and ACA
Is Obamacare free? Can I get a $0 premium plan?
Some people do pay nothing per month. That is not the same as free coverage, and here is the difference that matters.
Health and ACA
What is the difference between bronze, silver, gold and platinum plans?
The metal describes how costs are split, not the quality of care. And one level carries a benefit the others do not.
Health and ACA
Can I keep my doctor with a Marketplace plan?
Only if they are in that specific plan's network. Here is how to check properly and what the plan type tells you.
Health and ACA
What is the premium tax credit and how does it work?
The subsidy that lowers your monthly Marketplace premium, how it is calculated, and why the estimate you give matters at tax time.
Health and ACA
What is the deductible and out of pocket maximum on a Marketplace plan?
The two numbers that decide what a plan really costs you, and why the cheapest premium often is not the cheapest plan.
Health and ACA
Can immigrants and green card holders get Obamacare?
Lawfully present immigrants can buy Marketplace coverage and qualify for subsidies. Here is who counts and what happens to mixed status families.
Health and ACA
What is the Texas coverage gap?
Texas did not expand Medicaid, so some adults earn too little for Marketplace subsidies and too much for Medicaid. Here is what to do if that is you.
Health and ACA
What documents do I need to apply for Marketplace insurance?
A checklist to gather before you start, plus the document requests that arrive after you enroll and cancel 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. Here is how to report income when it 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, which is rarely the right outcome. Here is what to check every November.
Health and ACA
Can I use a broker to sign up for Obamacare, and does it cost extra?
It costs you nothing. Here is how brokers are actually paid, what to expect, and what a broker cannot do.
Health and ACA
Why did my Marketplace premium go up?
Four causes, and only one of them is about you. Here is how to tell which applies and what to do about it.