2025 health insurance plan, how to buy health insurance, insurance company recommendations

When registering at HealthCare.gov, you will need to fill in the family members and family income, and the Marketplace system will calculate the Premium Tax Credit (the so-called medical subsidy) based on your situation. If your situation meets the eligibility requirements, you can choose to use the allowance in advance to reduce the premium (Advance Premium Tax Credit), or wait until the next year to file a tax return together with the tax refund.

Applying for Premium Tax Credit does not constitute a public charge and will not affect subsequent green card or naturalization applications.

If you are eligible, HealthCare.gov will also redirect you to the official website of each state’s Medicaid, CHIP and other government health insurance programs. Some states have independently operated Marketplace websites, which will also be redirected to the corresponding websites when registering on HealthCare.gov .

If you are not eligible for government medical subsidies, you can still buy insurance on the Marketplace, but the premiums may not be cost-effective. You can also go to some health insurance sales networks, such as eHealth , to check the details and costs of local medical insurance plans, and then directly contact local insurance brokers or health insurance companies to inquire about prices and compare prices.

All the health insurance plan options provided by the Marketplace meet the definition of Obamacare, but in fact, you can also buy health insurance plans with similar Obamacare reimbursement benefits by contacting the health insurance company directly for consultation, which sometimes has a better cost-effectiveness.

For example, those who hold F1 or J1 visas can pay attention to student insurance designed specifically for international students, compare prices, and perhaps save a lot of money.

Types of medical insurance

The health insurance plans that individuals can purchase on MarketPlace are generally divided into the following categories:

• Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) : HMO insurance plans have the least degree of freedom and generally have cheaper premiums. They only reimburse services provided by clinics and doctors within the HMO network (except in emergencies). The insured must designate a primary care physician, and a referral from the family physician is required to see a specialist, otherwise the insurance will not reimburse.
• Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO) : A designated medical service organization. EPO insurance plans have slightly more flexibility than HMOs. They also only reimburse services provided by medical clinics and doctors within the network, except in emergencies, but no referral is required to see a specialist.