The coronavirus has opened our eyes to just how important health can be. Unfortunately, staying healthy can come at quite a financial cost if you don’t have affordable insurance. Even worse, being unemployed can make health insurance seem impossible to attain if you lose coverage through your employer.
If you recently lost your job due to COVID-19 layoffs or for some other reason, don’t fret, as there are ways to get subsidized coverage for you and your family. Let’s take a look at some of them now.
A Marketplace Insurance Plan
The government offers affordable health insurance plans through its Marketplace. The amount of savings you can achieve will depend on the size of your household and your income.
You can qualify for a Special Enrollment Period through the Marketplace that lasts 60 days from the day you lose employer coverage. It does not matter why you left your job, either. To learn more about the Special Enrollment Period so you can replace lost coverage, go here.
While a Marketplace insurance plan may not be 100 percent free, your premium can be minimal if your income is severely limited. Any out of pocket costs can lower according to your household size and income as well. Add in premium tax credits, and you could get an insurance plan that is much more affordable than you ever imagined.
Medicaid
The government’s Medicaid program offers subsidized health coverage to recipients with low incomes or disabilities. Depending on your situation, Medicaid could result in low-cost or free healthcare.
Medicaid does not have a limited enrollment period, making it ideal for someone who just lost their job. You can apply for Medicaid either through your state or via the Health Insurance Marketplace, which can be found here.
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Perhaps more important than your own health coverage is that of your kids. With CHIP, you can receive a variety of subsidized services for your children in the form of prescriptions, immunizations, free doctor and dental visits, vision and dental care, emergency services, and more.
CHIP comes in particularly handy in cases where your income is too high for Medicaid but not significant enough to afford private health insurance. It’s also offered in some states for pregnant women, and has no limited enrollment period, just like Medicaid.
You can begin the CHIP application process by calling 1-800-318-2596.
How to Get Healthcare Without Insurance or Income
Some people find themselves in an unfortunate situation where they just lost their job, have no income, but also no insurance. If you find yourself in this predicament and the options mentioned above do not work, try looking into a community health center for help.
Community health centers are located in urban and rural areas across the country. They offer affordable health care based on your income and could cover any gaps until you get your financial situation in order.
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