Three Ways to Get Health Coverage
The right option depends on your income, your health, your timeline, and the doctors you want to keep.
ACA / Marketplace Health Insurance
Comprehensive major medical coverage
Marketplace plans must cover essential health benefits, and they cannot turn you away or charge more because of a pre-existing condition. Eligibility for premium tax credits depends on household income and other rules. Networks, drug formularies, and plan designs vary by carrier and metal level.
Private Health Insurance
Major medical plans outside the Marketplace
Private plans are sold directly by carriers. Plan designs, provider networks, exclusions, waiting periods, and underwriting rules vary by carrier and by state, so the coverage is not identical to an ACA plan. Premium tax credits do not apply to these plans.
Short-Term Health Insurance
Temporary coverage for a gap
Short-term plans last for a limited period and are often used to bridge a gap between jobs or during a life transition. They generally do not cover all essential health benefits, may exclude pre-existing conditions, and are not available in every state.
Benefits, eligibility, provider networks, prescription coverage, and coverage limitations vary by plan, carrier, and state. Nothing on this page promises a particular benefit, network, price, or approval. The final terms are set by the carrier and applicable law.
Start My Free Health Insurance Review
A short guided review, then a conversation about what actually fits. No cost, no pressure, no obligation to enroll.
Start My Free Health Insurance Review- Tell me what is changing and when coverage needs to start
- Compare ACA, private, and short-term options side by side
- Review networks, prescriptions, and out-of-pocket costs together
- Enroll with support, or walk away with clear answers
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions people ask most before choosing individual health coverage.
Keep learning
Read plain-English articles on ACA plans, private coverage, short-term options, and special enrollment periods in the Learning Center.
Visit the Learning Center