How to Get Health Insurance Without a Job

There are a variety of ways to get health insurance without a job. These include buying a Marketplace plan, applying for Medicaid or adding yourself to a family member’s insurance.

Getting health insurance is more affordable than ever before. The ACA’s subsidies can help you pay for your premiums, and you can also get savings on co-pays, deductibles and other out-of-pocket expenses based on your income and household size.

Medicaid

Medicaid is a government-sponsored insurance program for individuals and families who cannot afford to pay for health care. It covers a wide range of services, from doctor visits and hospital stays to long-term care and custodial care.

States then send these payments to healthcare providers through fee-for-service and prepayment arrangements. They are reimbursed for a percentage share of these expenditures by the federal government.

People who do not work but are still eligible for Medicaid can enroll in the program through the Marketplace if they are not covered by another plan. They can also get coverage through community health centers.

Some people lose their Medicaid coverage or face interruptions due to work requirements, and this is especially harmful for some groups that are more likely to have serious medical conditions and mental illness. It can also be difficult to meet new documentation and paperwork requirements, which can make it more difficult for people to stay enrolled in the program.

COBRA

COBRA, or the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, is a federal law that lets employees who lose their jobs continue their health insurance. Most states have similar laws for small businesses.

Under the law, if you lose your job-based insurance because of a layoff or reduction in hours, you can choose to continue it for up to 18 months after you leave. This is a big relief for many people, especially since it can be a lot less expensive than buying a new plan in the individual market.

The government has also announced a subsidy program for people who have lost their COBRA coverage. If you lose your coverage involuntarily, the government will pay up to six months of premiums for you and your family.

Marketplace

If you lose your job, Marketplace can help you get health insurance. The Marketplace is a government-run website that allows you to shop for an affordable health plan based on your income and household size.

You may also qualify for financial assistance to lower your premium costs, such as tax credits through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The Marketplace is a key source of health coverage for people who aren’t offered a plan by their employers or people who are self-employed or work part time.

The ACA created the marketplace to serve as a single place where consumers could shop for affordable, high-quality health plans and apply for financial assistance. These platforms have helped millions of low-income people find private coverage and access health care.

Individual

If you lose your job-based insurance, you can usually enroll in an individual plan through the marketplace. But you may have to wait until the next annual open enrollment period.

Alternatively, you can qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP) for ACA-compliant health plans that you can enroll in anytime outside of the annual open enrollment window. This is especially helpful if you’ve lost coverage due to a qualifying event like a layoff or termination.

For most states, a SEP lasts for 60 days, starting when you lose your employer-based health plan and ending when your employment ends. However, in some states, the SEP is only 30 days long. If you’re eligible for a SEP, you can shop for an ACA-compliant individual health plan that’s subsidized on your state’s exchange or through a licensed broker like eHealth.

Family

In a broad sense, the term family denotes people connected by blood, marriage or adoption that live together and share social and economic responsibilities. It is the most basic unit of society and has tremendous influence on the lives of its members from birth to death. At its best, families perform numerous useful functions for their members. They provide food, shelter, clothing and physical security to their members, and may also help promote order and stability in society as a whole.

For many people, the definition of a family also includes a group of individuals not directly related to their parents or siblings, such as close friends and caring relatives who may not share their blood or cultural traditions. When people decide who comprises their family, they can add or eliminate individuals from their circle based on how important they are to their personal well-being and happiness.