Ways To Get Covered If Youre Under 30

Sooner or later, everyone needs health insurance. This is true even if youre healthy and under 30 like Jaime and Malik.

The Health Insurance Marketplace® provides you with several options that put you in control of your coverage and care.

Every health insurance plan sold in the Marketplace will offer 10 essential health benefits.

Selecting A Health Insurance Policy That Works For You

When deciding between multiple health insurance plans, its a good idea to compare quotes from different providers to ensure youre getting the best deal. The Health Insurance Marketplace allows you to quickly and easily compare quotes from providers and compare information like premiums, deductibles, copays, and covered services.

Once youve decided on a plan, the next step is to enroll in a policy. Youll have to select your chosen policy on the Marketplace and pay your first premium before coverage goes into effect. To pay your premium, youll typically be redirected to the health insurance companys website. Customers will receive their health insurance card within a few weeks after signing up for a policy. Once your coverage has gone into effect, you can begin to take advantage of your health insurance coverage by making appointments to address any medical issues or concerns. Some plans even have other perks to take advantage of, like free gym memberships.

Things To Know About Coronavirus Disease And Your Marketplace Coverage

Coronavirus.gov is the source for the latest information about coronavirus disease 2019 prevention, symptoms, and answers to common questions.

USA.gov has the latest information about what the U.S. Government is doing in response to COVID-19.

You may be hearing about the coronavirus disease 2019 in the news. Currently, the rules in your Marketplace health plan for treatment for COVID-19, remain the same as for the treatment of any other viral infection. Check with your health insurance company for their specific benefits and coverage policy. Here are some other things to know about how your Marketplace health plan works when it comes to COVID-19:

Recommended Reading: Can I Get Health Insurance In Another State

Is Your Form 1095

If you enrolled in a plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace® for 2014, you shouldve received an important tax statement in the mail, called Form 1095-A. This statement has information you need to fill out your 2014 federal income tax return.

Most people received a correct Form 1095-A. However, if we contacted you because your Form 1095-A is incorrect, here’s one reason why. Some forms included the monthly premium amount of the second lowest cost Silver plan for 2015 instead of 2014. The incorrect amount is listed in Part III, Column B of the Form 1095-A. This doesn’t mean your tax credit was incorrect this is purely an error in what was printed on the form.

What Is The Cheapest Texas Health Insurance Plan

Among the cheapest Texas health insurance you can buy is an Obamacare bronze plan. Obamacare subsidies can help you access metal plans at a low monthly cost. Metal plans come in bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. Bronze plans are often the cheapest.

The lowest-cost bronze plan could cost nothing after subsidies. In 2018, more than 1 million uninsured Texans qualified for a bronze plan with no monthly premium.3

You May Like: What Do You Need To Get Health Insurance

Texas Insurance License Exam

The next step after completing all of your pre-license coursework or self-study is to take the insurance exam.

You will take one exam for each line of insurance you wish to carry. Life & Health and Property & Casualty lines are two combined lines in Texas, so you will take two exams if you wish to attain all of these lines of authority: Property, Casualty, Life, Accident, Health.

This is a proctored test, which means that you will be in a controlled environment with a person watching over you. For people who havent tested in a situation like this should be aware of this fact, and work on taming their nerves prior to sitting for the exam.

The fee for each attempt of the exams is $62 . When you show up you must have a photo ID any other documents that the testing facility has asked you to bring.

The Life & Health exam and the Property and Casualty exams consist of one hundred twenty-five questions. Here is a copy of the exam content outline for the Life & Health exam. Here is a copy of the exam content outline for the Property & Casualty exam. There are no limits on attempts at each exam per year, but once you pass, you must apply for the license within twelve months or retake the test.

We will quote Pearson Vues Texas Department of Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook to explain scoring:

Check out our Insurance Exam Guide. Its extremely in-depth, and will hopefully help you pass the first time.

Tip:

After Getting Your Texas Insurance License

Once youve passed your exams and completed the licensing application, you are now a licensed insurance agent in Texas. A common question we hear is, I have my insurance license, now what? Here are a few things you can do or need to know:

• Get a job in the insurance field. Check out StateRequirements Insurance Jobs board.
• If youre going to sell advanced life insurance products, youll need to have the proper securities licenses. Series 6, Series 7, and Series 63 are the most common among insurance agents, but youll need to begin with the SIE exam. Find out which licenses you need with our Securities Licensing Guide.
• Every two years, youll need to renew your insurance license. Check out our guides on Texas Insurance License Renewal and Texas Insurance Continuing Education for more details.

Don’t Miss: How To Sign Up For Aarp Health Insurance

Gold Card Enrollment Process For Those Who Are Not Homeless

Individuals who have a physical address must apply for Harris Health at one of the eligibility centers.

You can follow this link to a list of Harris Health Eligibility Centers.

People on the Harris Health discount plans 1 4 are required to pay some fees for services. Clinic co-payments can range from $3 for Plan 1 all the way to a maximum of $95 for Plan 4. Keep in mind these prices are estimates and subject to change.

In the following section, well discuss the actual Gold Card application and provide you with a link to download the application.

Editors note: For more options regarding primary care for the homeless see our guide titled 7 options for Homeless Medical Care in Houston.

You Have More Insurance Options For Your Health Than You Think Texas

If youre self-employed or without insurance from your employer in other words, youre looking for individual or family health insurance in Texas you might be looking for Affordable Care Act insurance, what’s often called Obamacare. However, we want to make you aware of the whole range of individual and family insurance products we have available in your state.

Also Check: What Is The Best Health Insurance Coverage

Who Should Apply For Gold Card

Harris County residents who are uninsured, homeless, or recently unemployed are encouraged to apply for the Gold Card.

Many people believe that if you are uninsured there are no medical care options for you, however, this is false. Harris Health System was created to help those individuals who fall between the cracks.

Another set of individuals who should consider applying for Harris Health is anyone uninsured who is needing hospitalization or surgery. If you need major medical care the Harris Health System can potentially provide you with this help.

City Of Houston Health Department

The City of Houston is also partnered with Harris Health, therefore, you can apply for the Gold Card at any their Multi-Service Center.

Note: This might be a good option to consider if you live close to a City of Houston multi-service center.

Unlike Harris Health, the City of Houston does not accept walk-in appointments at its multi-service centers.

To receive help applying for Harris Health you must call the City of Houston appointment line at 832.393.5427.

Note: You can also apply for WIC, SNAP and Texas Womens Health Plan by calling the City of Houston Health Department appointment line.

When you call the appointment line they will schedule a date, time and location for your Harris Health appointment to occur. They will also go over the listing of supporting documents needed for your screening.

Read Also: Do Children Need Health Insurance

Immigrants And Foster Youth Health Insurance

What if I am not a citizen?

If you are a lawful permanent resident or have a certain other specific immigration status, you can get the aged out foster youth insurance until your 21st birthday. But after you turn 21,you may not able to continue getting the aged out foster youth insurance. You can only qualify for it if youhave been a lawful permanent resident for at least 5 years and you or your parents have 40 quarters ofwork history with the Social Security Administration or meet some other very limited requirements. If youbecome a U.S. citizen, you can qualify for the aged out foster youth health insurance even after you turn 21.

What if I am undocumented?

Undocumented aged foster youth are not eligible for the Medicaid programs for aged out foster youth. However, CPS is required to help foster youth try to obtain legal immigration status before they age outof foster care. If this has NOT been taken care of for you yet, you need IMMEDIATE help, before youleave foster care.

Immigration law is complicated and even more complicated when it comes to aged out foster youthhealth insurance! If you are not a citizen, you should contact the Texas Foster Youth Justice Project for more guidance about your eligibility for the insurance. You should also see the Special ImmigrantJuvenile Status, Green Card and Becoming a U.S. Citizen section, starting on page 83, for otherimportant information about being a non-citizen.

Applying for Health Insurance

Medical Records

Can You Enroll In Health Insurance Now

Have you recently lost other health coverage, moved to a new home in a new ZIP code or county, gotten married, or had a baby? When big changes happen in life, you may be able to enroll in Marketplace health insurance right away with a Special Enrollment Period.

If you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, youll have 60 days from the life event to enroll. When you apply, youll also find out if you qualify for Medicaid or the Childrens Health Insurance Program . If you do, coverage can start the day you apply or earlier.

IMPORTANT When you apply, you must attest that the information you provide on the application is true, including the facts that qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period. You may be asked to submit documents that prove your eligibility to enroll.

You May Like: How To Stop Health Insurance

How Do You Renew Your Parkland Plus Insurance

You must renew your Parkland Financial Assistance insurance 30 days before your plan expires. If you miss this window you will have 6 months to complete the process or you will have to start a whole new application.

To reapply you must:

Didnt Have Health Coverage In 2014 Find Out If Youll Pay A Fee

Starting in 2014, every person in the U.S. must have minimum health coverage or an exemption otherwise they may pay a fee on their federal tax return. Many people without health coverage can get an exemption from the fee because of a special situation, like not having affordable health insurance plans available to you, having only a short gap in coverage, or being eligible for services through the Indian Health Service. Also, if you had coverage starting in May 2014 or earlier, you qualify for an exemption for those months in 2014 before your coverage started.

You May Like: How To Apply For Kaiser Health Insurance

Youve Got Questions Weve Got Answers

We know there are lots of questions surrounding the new Health Insurance Marketplace® coming in 2014. Thats why weve updated HealthCare.gov with you – the consumer – in mind.

Get to Know the Marketplace: Were holding our first-ever Health Insurance Marketplace® Hangout at 2:30pm on July 10, 2013. And were taking your questions using the hashtag #HCgovHangout. Visit to learn more.

Get Answers Right Away: Theres a new way for you to learn about the Health Insurance Marketplace® and your coverage options. Just answer a few quick questions and well provide you with a personalized list of programs you may be eligible for, content youll want to read, and a checklist to help you get ready. Note: Specific plans and prices wont be available until October 1. Start Now

How Are Individual Health Insurance Premiums Calculated

The state allows for private health insurers to set their premiums at whatever rate they see fit, hoping that market competition will help keep them at a reasonable cost. Your insurer will take many factors into consideration when determining your rate, including age, health, and plan type. There are no laws or restrictions regarding what an individual can be charged for a policy or exclusions on the reasons for quoting a high premium. When it is time to renew your policy, your insurer also has the right to raise your premium for any reason. The good news for health insurance customers is that their provider cannot cancel their policy because they get sick, even at renewal. They can, however, raise your premium to compensate for this increased risk.

Recommended Reading: Will Health Insurance Cover A Breast Reduction

Other Cheap Health Insurance Plans In Texas

• Short-Term Health Insurance: Short-term health plans dont count as qualified insurance under the Affordable Care Act, but they usually cost half of major medical coverage. In 2021, a short-term plan for a 30-year-old woman in San Antonio costs about $67 a month.4
• Catastrophic Health Plans: Catastrophic health insurance premiums are usually much lower than other ACA-regulated plans, while their deductibles are very high. Catastrophic plans are designed to protect you from high out-of-pocket costs in case of a major accident or illness.
• Medicare Advantage Zero-Premium Plans: You can find Medicare Advantage plans for as low as $0 per month through several Texas insurance companies.5 You may qualify to enroll in a zero-premium plan if youre 65 or under 65 and have a disability.*

*You must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium 6 when you enroll in Medicare Advantage. The Part B premium is $148.50 in 2021.7

Where Can I Get The Cheapest Health Insurance

Health insurance in the United States is available through many different providers. The cheapest option is to enroll in the federal Medicaid program, but eligibility will depend on the state you live in. For most people, the best deal on individual health insurance can be found through your state marketplace.

Don’t Miss: How Much Does A Family Health Insurance Plan Cost

Questions To Ask About Your New Doctor

Choosing a doctor is one of the most important decisions you’ll make about your health care. Finding the right one can take a little work, but is well worth it. If youve already had your first visit with a primary care doctor under your new plan, ask yourself these 5 questions to make sure your doctor is the right one for you:

Supporting Documents Needed For Harris Health

Once youve completed your Gold Card application its time to start digging through those closets and shoeboxes for your supporting documents.

In addition to completing the Harris Health application youll also need to show the following supporting documents:

• Valid Photo Identification
• Proof of residency
• Income or paycheck stubs
• If applicable: INS documents, Medicaid Letter, Medicare ID, Social Security Award Letter, TANF certification, credit card statements, bank statements

The next six sections will give you specific examples of documents Harris Health System is looking for.

You May Like: What Is Private Health Insurance

Which Harris Health Discount Plan Do You Qualify For

Before traveling to a Harris Health eligibility center its a good idea to find out which Harris Health Discount plan you qualify for.

Harris Health wont deny anyone services, but the discount plan you receive will depend on eligibility criteria like:

• Whether you live in Harris County
• If you currently have insurance
• Your household size
• Your household income

To get a better idea of your potential the out of pocket costs for Gold Card use this Harris Health Eligibility calculator to see which. plan you qualify for.

Note: You can receive Harris Health services if you live outside of Harris County although you will be billed at 100%.

Harris Health offers 5 different discount plans ranging from Plan Zero to Plan Four.