Finding Affordable Health Insurance In Texas

When searching online for affordable health insurance in Texas, you'll come across many choices, so which ones work best for you and your family's needs? It all depends on the type of coverage you need and how much you're willing to pay upfront when you actually need medical assistance.

No matter which health plan you choose in the end, Texas health insurance options aren't very different from other states. The main difference is how you pay for the coverage because, if you want to purchase an "Obamacare" plan, the state didn't opt to create its own state marketplace for health insurance. You can still buy them, but the process won't be as easy as it is in other states.

Instead, you'll have to sort through various offers manually or make any number of phone calls to get a feel for what others in your situation pay on average. Although the bottom line is this: if you live in Texas, you'll have to do more leg work to find the right health coverage – and the right amount of savings too.

Here's what Texans can do to get the best rates for the number of benefits and, hopefully, save money on health insurance in Texas.

How do consumers find the most affordable health insurance in Texas?

Without a comprehensive online platform to compare benefits and costs, finding health insurance in Texas could take longer than usual. But the affordability of the best plan is well worth the trouble if you know how much health coverage you'll need ahead of time.

The general rule of thumb is that you should always carry more insurance than you think you need, but not everyone can afford a top-of-the-line health plan.

You could visit each insurance carrier's website one at a time, input all of the required information, possibly sign-up for a newsletter, and then repeat the process again and again merely to receive a vague quote.

The good news is that there's a better way to compare benefits and prices if you already understand the basics of what affordable health insurance in Texas really looks like.

How much does health insurance cost in Texas on average?

At the time of this writing, the average cost of health insurance in Texas is $6,300 per year for a person in good health, according to ValChoice. That means the average family of four in Texas pays about $25,000 annually just to pay for the health plan, and that's not including deductibles and unanticipated out-of-pocket expenses (e.g., medications with no affordable generic equivalent).

What does the price of health insurance in Texas include?

Whether it be through "Obamacare" or a private insurer, all health insurance in Texas will include the cost of the coverage's premium and deductible in the overall price.

Here's a quick reminder of what those charges entail and how they affect one another.

Premiums

A premium is an amount due every month to keep the insurance in good standing to avoid any lapses in coverage. Some people opt to pay the entire premium in one lump sum, but most choose to pay monthly.

Deductibles

A deductible, unlike a premium, is the amount you'd have to pay before benefits kick-in. For instance, a health plan could cost less than $50 a month but also come with a high deductible of several thousand dollars.

That's why it's so critical to anticipate how much coverage you'll need for you and your family. Paying substantial deductibles in the aftermath of a medical emergency can be financially devastating and an unnecessary expense.

Other expenses

What confuses many consumers about health coverage is that there will inevitably be additional expenses in addition to premiums and deductibles.

Co-pays, payments made to a medical facility before receiving treatment, are a way to defer the cost of health insurance upfront and keep out-of-pocket costs as low as possible. There may also be added costs due to the plan's prescription drug coverage.

Are there options for Medicare and Medicaid in Texas?

Unlike most states in the country, Texas didn't expand Medicaid when others did ten years ago, but that doesn't that you can't get Medicare or Medicaid. It simply means that fewer people will be able to qualify since states have wide latitude to determine Medicaid eligibility.

For those who qualify, the fastest way to sign-up for Medicare, Medicaid, or a health plan on the federal health insurance exchange.

The trick is that there are specific periods throughout the year called Open Enrollment when you can apply for health coverage.

When does Open Enrollment begin in 2021?

In the early months of 2021, the Open Enrollment period extends from February 15 to May 15, as specified by the Biden administration.

The most important takeaway is that this period is an exception since the COVID-19 pandemic remains a threat to public health, thus leading to more individuals in need of health coverage.

Also, you must understand that Open Enrollment is distinct from Special Enrollment. If you qualify for the Special Enrollment Period, you don't have to wait for Open Enrollment.

Where to go to compare rates Texas health insurance options

Accurate pricing is challenging to pinpoint online without a comprehensive platform to compare rates from multiple health insurance carriers side-by-side.

By providing a way to do precisely that, HealthPlans.com is the top choice for Texans that don't have a lot of time to scour the web for savings on premiums and deductibles one policy at a time.

Thankfully, HealthPlans.com gives consumers a new way to sort through dozens of different prices and health packages. All of the most critical information is right at your fingertips once you know the basics of finding affordable health insurance in Texas.

Click here to start comparing health insurance in Texas today!