Start with the Marketplace application
A Marketplace application tells you, based on your income and household size, whether you qualify for premium tax credits or other savings — and whether you or your family qualify for low-cost coverage through Medicaid or CHIP instead. It's worth doing even if you assume you won't qualify; a quick check with an agent takes only a few minutes.
If you have even one employee
If your business employs even one person besides yourself, a spouse, or family, you may be able to use the SHOP Marketplace to offer coverage to yourself and your team.
Special Enrollment Periods
Life changes trigger the chance to enroll outside the usual annual window. If you lose job-based coverage for any reason, you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period — sometimes letting your new coverage start sooner than it otherwise would. The reverse is also true: if you land a job that offers coverage, you can cancel your Marketplace plan and switch over at any time.
Working with an agent costs nothing extra. A licensed agent can run the numbers on Marketplace, off-exchange, and SHOP options side by side, at no cost to you.
Before you buy, watch for these
- Rates don't change by where you buy. Insurance pricing is set by the carrier and regulated by your state's Department of Insurance — no association or plan gets you a secret discount.
- Confirm your doctors and prescriptions are covered. HMO and PPO plans require in-network providers, and formularies vary plan to plan — check both before committing.
- You don't have to buy on the exchange. If you don't qualify for a subsidy, off-exchange plans from the same or different carriers are often available, sometimes with more flexibility.
Not sure which route fits your business?
We'll compare Marketplace, off-exchange, and SHOP options for you — free.