Articles
Plain-English guides for people who buy their own health insurance or are trying to figure out their options. Browse by topic, or scroll down for our newest articles.
Costs & PricesWhat’s CoveredMarketplace & SubsidiesMedicaid & MedicareWork & Employer PlansLife ChangesPlan BasicsBills & ClaimsCoverage by SituationInsurance Companies
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How Much Is Health Insurance for a 30-Year-Old?
A 30-year-old’s benchmark Marketplace plan runs about $555 a month before subsidies in 2026, and 30 is also the cutoff for catastrophic plans.
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How Much Is Health Insurance for a 26-Year-Old?
A 26-year-old’s benchmark Marketplace plan runs about $501 a month before subsidies in 2026, right around when parent’s-plan coverage ends.
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How Much Does It Cost to Have a Baby? With and Without Insurance
Pregnancy through postpartum care averaged $20,416 with job-based insurance in 2021-2023, $2,743 of it out of pocket. Medicaid pays for about 4 in 10 births.
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How Much Does Urgent Care Cost Without Insurance?
A moderate urgent care visit billed $367 on average in 2023, though insurers paid $188 of it. Here’s what drives the price and how to pay…
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How Much Does an ER Visit Cost Without Insurance?
An ER visit averaged $1,405 across all payers in 2024 and $2,453 to $2,909 for people with job-based coverage. Uninsured bills can run higher.
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How Much Does a Doctor Visit Cost Without Insurance?
Medicare pays about $95 to $177 for a 2026 office visit, but that’s not your bill. Here’s what really drives a self-pay doctor visit’s cost, and…
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Missed Open Enrollment? What You Can Still Do
You generally need a qualifying life event to enroll outside open enrollment, but Medicaid, CHIP and job-based coverage stay open year-round.
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What’s Changing in Health Insurance for 2027
Medicaid work requirements, a higher out-of-pocket maximum, new HSA and Medicare drug limits, and insurers leaving the Marketplace: what changes in 2027.
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How to Add a Newborn to Your Health Insurance
A birth is a qualifying event: you get 60 days on a Marketplace plan or at least 30 on a job-based plan, with coverage backdated to…
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Medicaid Income Limits by State for 2026
In expansion states, adults qualify for Medicaid up to 138% of the poverty level. In the 10 that haven’t expanded, many adults get nothing at all.
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