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Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance For Unemployed

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Cost Of Aca Marketplace Plans

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With the health insurance marketplace, the cost of plans will depend on a range of factors including your age, location, household size, the level of coverage you choose and if you qualify for discounted rates because of your income.

For those looking for middle-of-the-road medical benefits, the average cost for a Silver plan is $541 per month if you pay full price. This tier of coverage is best for most people because plans provide a balance between monthly costs and plan benefits.

For those who are young and healthy or who don’t need much medical care, choosing a Bronze or lower-tier plan is a good way to save money, but when you do need medical care, you’ll pay more out of pocket.

Those who have significant or expensive medical needs could get the best deal by choosing a Gold or Platinum plan. These plans will cost more each month, but the better benefits will mean you’ll pay less for medical care, helping you save money overall.

Plan tier

Based on rates for a 40-year-old who is paying full price.

Cobra Health Insurance: When Does It Make Sense

The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act gives workers who lose or leave their jobs the option to stay on their employers health insurance for up to 18 months, or even longer, in some circumstances. You must apply within 60 days of losing coverage or being notified youre eligible, whichever is later.

COBRA lets you keep your coverage, but it can be costly. You pay the full price of coverage instead of sharing costs with your employer.

If you lost your job and insurance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you might be eligible for help paying for COBRA between April 1 and September 30, 2021, due to the American Rescue Plan.

In 2021, the average employer-sponsored individual health insurance policy cost just under $8,000. If employees pay about 25% of that, theyve been paying roughly $2,000 per year or $167 per month. Under COBRA, the employer no longer pays their 75%, so the individuals bill becomes approximately $667 per month. Employers can actually charge former employees up to 102% of the total cost.

What Happens To My Health Insurance When I Lose My Job

Who is this for?

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network members under age 65.

When you get your Blue Cross plan through an employer, your payments are taken out of your paycheck so you can use your coverage when you need it.

But if you lose the insurance coverage you had from your job, or need to buy your own for other reasons, you might not know what to do.

Well help you understand what steps you can take, such as getting COBRA coverage, and address some common concerns.

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How Do You Get Health Insurance With No Job Or No Income

For most people who are unemployed, we recommend applying for health insurance on HealthCare.gov.

This portal will tell you if you qualify for programs like Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program or discounts on marketplace plans. Each state is slightly different in its qualification criteria and process. However, starting from HealthCare.gov will help guide you to the programs and resources that are relevant for you.

What If I Get A Job After I Have Marketplace Coverage Open

1940s Blue Cross Blue Shield advertisement
  • If you get a job and are offered a job-based health plan you should tell the Marketplace as soon as possible. You can cancel your Marketplace plan or keep it. But you may not be able to get lower costs based on your income. This will depend on whether the job-based plan is considered

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Best For Young Unemployed Individuals On A Budget: Bcbs

If budget is your biggest worry, consider a Catastrophic plan. Catastrophic plans are only available in certain states for people under 30 or those who qualify for affordability exemptions.

Catastrophic coverage is designed to protect you from worst-case scenarios, like a serious diagnosis or terrible accident. They have lower monthly premiums but very high deductibles. Catastrophic plans sold on the Marketplace must include the 10 essential health benefits and cover preventive care, but youll pay for almost everything else yourself.

Before you buy a Catastrophic plan, see which subsidies you qualify for. You might pay less and get more coverage with a Silver plan and cost-sharing reductions.

There are fewer Catastrophic plan options because its a less common plan type. MoneyGeeks top choice is Blue Cross Blue Shield, but Anthem is another option, with the lowest premiums and the third overall ranking for quality.

Blue Cross Blue Shield

The highest-rated health insurer available in at least 10 states is Blue Cross Blue Shield . BCBS offers Catastrophic plans in 15 states and has the second-lowest average monthly premium at $288.89. BCBS scores well for quality overall, with an average quality rating of 3.86 out of 5, making it second only to Kaiser Permanente. BCBS scores best on patient experience, with a score of 3.52. BCBS plans operate independently in each state, so check the details of specific policy options in your area.

How Much Is Health Insurance

Health insurance premiums are based on personal factors, such as location, age, tobacco use, plan category , and the number of dependents on your plan. If you qualify for the advanced premium tax credit, you can save money on your premium. Another factor that impacts the cost of health insurance is the company you choose.

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Covered California For Unemployed People

The Covered California Health Exchange is an agency that helps connect California residents with affordable health insurance policies that meet ACA standards for minimum coverage, like prescription drug costs and preventative medical services. Covered California is an excellent solution for unemployed or low-income individuals because it helps you find subsidies and discounts to reduce premiums and medical costs.

Like many other insurance purchasing options, Covered California has open enrollment periods once a year. However, you can qualify for a particular enrollment period if you have a life-changing event, like losing your insurance due to unemployment.

Arkansas Blue Cross And Blue Shield

Compare Blue Cross Blue Shield VS United Healthcare pricing 2023 health insurance cost

Visit with our friendly insurance experts at our ArkansasBlue Welcome Centers.

1 Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug plan product members can mail their monthly payment or set up an automatic monthly bank draft. If there are questions, please call customer service to discuss payment options. You can find the number for your plan on our contact page. Health Advantage conversion plans are not eligible for online, mobile, AutoPay or pay-by-phone payment options.

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How To Enroll In A Health Plan

If you don’t get health care coverage through your job or a government program, you have a few ways to get a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois health plan.

  • OnlineUse our website to compare BCBSIL health plans. Shop plans and prices
  • AgentA licensed BCBSIL authorized agent can answer questions and help you with your 2023 health care coverage. Request an agent if you dont have one.
  • PhoneYou can call to speak with a BCBSIL licensed sales representative.
  • Dont go uninsured! Financial help is available so Illinois residents like you may pay less each month for health care coverage. Find out if you qualify for financial assistance

    Blue Cross Complete Medicaid Programs

    The following Medicaid programs are administered by Blue Cross Complete.

    Flint waiver provides additional Medicaid services for children up to age 21 and pregnant women who were served by the Flint water system since April 2014, and who have income levels up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level.

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    When Should You Use Cobra

    COBRA is usually not the most cost-effective way to get health insurance. We recommend that you only use it for a few months or in the following situations:

    • Stopgap to continue coverage while waiting for another policy to begin.
    • To keep using a plan’s benefits when you’re receiving ongoing health care and you’ve already met the plan’s deductible or out-of-pocket maximum. In this situation, the higher monthly costs of a COBRA plan are offset by lower medical costs because the plan details carry forward when it switches from employer coverage to COBRA.

    Medicaid Health Insurance: Who Is Eligible

    BCBS Renewing 2016

    If youre unemployed, you may qualify for Medicaid depending on where you live. Thirty-eight states and Washington, D.C., expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. In those places, you can qualify for Medicaid based on your income alone if you earn 138% or less of the federal poverty level or $17,774 per year for an individual. The more people in your household, the higher the income cutoff.

    In the 12 states that have opted not to expand Medicaid, your income wont be enough on its own to qualify. Youll need to meet other requirements, such as being a caregiver for a dependent child.

    When you apply for coverage through HealthCare.gov, the government will see if youre eligible for Medicaid in your state and if any children in your household qualify for the Childrens Health Insurance Program . CHIP is for families that earn too much to be eligible for Medicaid but still may not be able to afford private health insurance.

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    Availability And Length Of Coverage

    Many states have developed their own rules about short-term insurance plans, and therefore, access can change by location.

    You can’t buy short-term health insurance in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Across these locations, either plans aren’t permitted or there are no companies selling short-term plans in the state. The states are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

    The maximum length of a policy also varies by state. The total length of coverage, including renewals, can be as short as three months as in states like Virginia and Washington. Other states like Minnesota allow coverage for up to a year, and in Louisiana, coverage is allowed for a total of 36 months.

    What Is Blueprint Portal

    Blueprint Portal is a members-only website that will help you understand and manage your health plan so youre able to find quality, patient-focused healthcare at the best possible price.

    • Review claims history
    • Check deductible and out-of-pocket totals
    • View and order replacement ID cards
    • Find a doctor or hospital
    • Estimate treatment costs
    • Review a recent doctor visit

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    Choosing A Marketplace Plan

    Within the marketplace, you can choose different types of health insurance plans designated as bronze, silver, gold, and platinum based on the level of coverage:

    • Bronze plans offer the lowest monthly premium but highest costs when you need care, with deductibles that can be thousands of dollars per year. These are best for low-cost coverage against worst-case medical scenarios.
    • Silver plans offer more moderately priced premiums and costs when you need care with deductibles lower than Bronze plans. Silver plans are best if you qualify for a cost-sharing reduction or are willing to pay a slightly higher premium in return for lower costs when you receive care.
    • Gold plans have higher monthly premiums than either silver or bronze plans but provide more help paying for the care you receive with fairly low deductibles. If you receive a lot of medical care, these can be good options.
    • Platinum plans carry the highest monthly premium and provide the lowest costs when you receive care with very low deductibles so your plan starts paying earlier than other categories of plans. If you receive a lot of medical care and dont mind paying a high monthly premium to have almost all of your other costs covered, platinum plans may be a good option.

    You may have access to catastrophic plans with low monthly premiums, but very high deductibles and are designed to protect you from worst-case scenarios.

    How To Get Health Insurance Without A Job

    Federal Employees Under Blue Cross Blue Shield Need To Know This
    BY Anna Porretta Updated on October 13, 2022

    Employer-sponsored health insurance covers the largest number of working-age individuals in the U.S., but the loss of a job with health insurance coverage puts an individual in a bind when it comes to maintaining coverage. Fortunately, there are multiple options available to those who are jobless and need health insurance while they work on finding employment.

    The Affordable Care Act has special enrollment periods for those who have lost employment, existing coverage can be continued for a period of time, and there are government-sponsored healthcare programs that offer comprehensive coverage. You may be asking how much is health insurance without a job?, especially because adding a cost during a time of unemployment can strain your budget. How much you pay depends on the type of health care coverage you qualify for.

    Read on to learn more about getting health insurance without a job and what to expect from the various options available to you after the loss of employment.

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    How Much Does Marketplace Insurance Cost

    The cost of Marketplace health insurance depends on several factors: what type of plan you buy and how much coverage it offers, which health insurance company you choose, and whether you qualify for subsidies.

    Average Health Insurance Premiums by Metal Tier

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    Average costs dont count tax credits you might be able to get. People with lower incomes, such as people who are unemployed, are likely to qualify for subsidies that may dramatically reduce these costs. You could save hundreds of dollars on monthly premiums if you are eligible for subsidies and choose a Silver plan.

    Best Health Insurance Options For The Unemployed

    Nearly half of Americans get health insurance through a job, but for everyone else, there are options. From Medicaid to the Marketplace, if youre worried about finding health insurance without a job, rest assured there are relatively affordable plans available.

    MoneyGeek has identified the best Marketplace policies to help you understand your options.

    REVIEW HEALTH INSURANCE RATES

    Ensure you’re getting the best rate for your health insurance. Compare quotes from the top insurance companies.

  • Best Health Insurance For The Unemployed
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    If youre unemployed and uninsured, you still have options. Specifically, Medicaid is the government health insurance program designed for low-income people. Eligibility requirements vary by state, but if you qualify, youll have access to comprehensive health insurance at little or no cost.

    If you dont qualify for Medicaid or another type of insurance, you can still find affordable options on the Marketplace. Government subsidies help make these private health insurance plans more affordable.

    In MoneyGeeks analysis, we identified Kaiser Permanente as the best health insurer for unemployed people available on the Marketplace. For people looking for Catastrophic coverage, we picked Anthem because it has the lowest premiums and above-average quality.

    Key Takeaways

    Kaiser Permanente has the highest-rated affordable Marketplace plans and a deep track record of offering high-quality health insurance.

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    Blue Cross Blue Shield Expanding Insurance To Help The Recently Unemployed

    Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas is expanding their special enrollment period to help the recently unemployed get affordable health insurance.

    We’re talking with Chief Medical Officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield, Dr. Paul Hain, about how uninsured Texans can access the resources available to them so they can get the healthcare they need.

    Dr. Hain says a vast majority of Texans get their health insurance through their jobs. With widespread layoffs caused by the COVID-19 economic slowing, that’s leaving tens of thousands of people without insurance at an inopportune time.

    He says there’s really three ways for the unemployed to get insurance while unemployed: Medicaid, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act , and the healthcare marketplace.

    Dr. Hain explains that most people will not qualify for Medicaid and COBRA tends to be too expensive for someone who recently lost their job.

    That’s why he is encouraging uninsured Texans to look into the healthcare marketplace for government subsidies to help pay premiums.

    “People are really surprised,” Dr. Hain tells us, “how often when they go that they find very affordable plans for themselves and their families.”

    However, he laments that most people don’t know where to go to access the healthcare marketplace and find a plan that works for them.

    That’s why he says Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas created,

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    When Can You Get Coverage

    BCBS Renewing 2016

    Losing health insurance coverage automatically triggers a 30-day special enrollment period , making it possible to update who is covered by a health insurance plan. This is shorter than the 60-day SEP that’s available on the ACA marketplace. However, all employers must offer special enrollment because of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 .

    When you join an employer or group plan, your health insurance coverage will begin on the first of the month after your enrollment.

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    Discounts And Ways To Save

    Many people who are unemployed will qualify for ACA marketplace programs to reduce the monthly cost of health insurance and make health care more affordable. The amount you could save is based on your estimated annual income, which may include parts of the year when you were employed.

    Your marketplace application will automatically tell you if you qualify.

    • Premium tax credits: These subsidies reduce the monthly cost of health insurance based on your annual income. Subsidies are available for all marketplace plans except Catastrophic plans, and the amount of the monthly discount is based on your total annual income. These subsidies were initially limited to those making up to 400% of the federal poverty level , but they were extended to some making more than that in 2021. The expanded subsidies have been extended through 2025.
    • Cost-sharing reductions: This program improves an insurance plan’s benefits, making medical care more affordable. It’s only available for Silver plans and for those who earn 100% to 250% of the FPL. If you qualify, the program will lower a plan’s deductible, copayments and out-of-pocket maximum.

    For an example of how premium tax credits work, the full price of a cheap Bronze plan averages $336 per month, based on the most affordable Bronze plan in each state. After premium tax credits are applied, the cost drops to $47 per month, on average, for someone earning $35,000 per year. That’s an 86% discount.

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