The Unemployment Guide

Health Insurance

Overview

If you, like millions of other Americans, recently lost your job, you may have also lost your health insurance. This can be a very scary situation, but you do have options! We have some resources to help you below, or you can see a list government healthcare and medical assistance links by clicking here.

Health Insurance

The Affordable Care Act

If you are not already enrolled in Obamacare, you can only join during an “open enrollment” period, usually in November – December, or when you have a qualifying life event. There is the chance that there could be a special open enrollment period opened because of the crisis, but in the meantime if you have lost your healthcare because you lost your job in the last 60 days, you may be able to sign up for a new policy via the federally operated exchanges. To find out if you qualify, click here.

Health Insurance

COBRA

If you lost your job but would like to keep the healthcare you had through that job, you may be able to keep it by paying for it yourself through COBRA. If your employer’s health plan is subject to COBRA, they must inform your healthcare plan within 30 days about your change in status. For more information and to sign up, contact the healthcare plan you had through your employer.

Which is right for me?

Medicaid vs Medicare

Medicaid and Medicare are both government assistance programs providing healthcare support, but there are several important differences.

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Medicare

Medicare is typically for people 65 years or older, though you may also qualify if you are under 65 but have a disability.

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Medicaid

Medicaid is available for qualifying people under 65, based on your income, household size, or disability. Eligibility requirements vary by state.

You can only apply for Medicare during an open enrollment period, typically from November 1 – December 15, but you can apply for Medicaid year round. For more information about Medicare and Medicaid by state, click here or go to HealthCare.gov to apply through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Which is right for me?

Medicaid & CHIP Coverage

Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provide free or low cost healthcare to millions of Americans, depending on income, family size, and disabilities. To see if you qualify for Medicaid based only on your income, click here. For more information on what Medicaid covers and how to apply by state, please click here. It doesn’t hurt to apply, even if you don’t qualify just by your income, and you may be able to find savings for a different insurance plan too.