You Buy Health Insurance - How Do

The official government platform ( HealthCare.gov ) for individual and family plans. This is the only place to qualify for premium tax credits that lower your monthly costs.

You can generally only buy health insurance during two specific times:

Depending on your situation, you have several avenues for purchasing: how do you buy health insurance

Plans are categorized by how they manage their provider networks: Primary Care Physician (PCP) Required? Referral Needed for Specialist? Out-of-Network Coverage? No (Except emergencies) PPO Yes (At a higher cost) EPO No (Except emergencies) POS Yes (At a higher cost) How to Get Marketplace Health Insurance | HealthCare.gov

Most Americans get insurance through their job, where the employer typically pays a portion of the premium. 3. Compare Plan Types The official government platform ( HealthCare

Buying health insurance is a multi-step process that involves assessing your medical needs, understanding various plan structures, and enrolling during specific windows of time. For 2026 coverage, most individuals can purchase insurance during the , which typically runs from November 1, 2025, to January 15, 2026 . 1. Identify Your Enrollment Window

A window outside of Open Enrollment triggered by "qualifying life events," such as getting married, having a baby, or losing existing coverage . 2. Choose Where to Shop Referral Needed for Specialist

You can buy directly from companies like Anthem or Cigna off-exchange, though these plans are not eligible for federal subsidies.