People under 30

Self-employed? Starting a business? Work part-time?

• If you leave a job for any reason and lose job-based insurance: You can buy an insurance plan any time of year, even if it's outside
  Open Enrollment

  The yearly period (November 1 – January 15) when people can enroll in a Marketplace health insurance plan.

  Refer to glossary for more details.

  . A plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace^® can be a lot more affordable than COBRA coverage. You have 60 days from when the insurance ends to enroll. Learn about your options when you lose job-based insurance.
• If you have income that’s hard to predict: You can apply with your best estimate of what you expect to make for the year. Your savings will be based on that estimate. When your income changes, you can update your application to adjust your coverage and savings. Learn about filling out an application when your income's hard to predict.
• If you're self-employed or starting a solo business with little income: You'll probably qualify for low-cost insurance or free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid. When your income increases, you can adjust or change your coverage to make sure you're getting only the savings you qualify for.

Apply once, see your insurance choices and costs

• An insurance plan with savings based on your income. You'll see how much you'll save immediately. You may save on out-of-pocket costs too, meaning you'll have a lower
  deductible

  The amount you pay for covered health care services before your insurance plan starts to pay. With a $2,000 deductible, for example, you pay the first $2,000 of covered services yourself.

  Refer to glossary for more details.

  and pay less each time you get care.
  • You can pick a "Catastrophic" health plan — a way to protect yourself from worst-case scenarios.
  • One catch: If someone claims you as a tax dependent, you can buy a plan through the Marketplace but won’t qualify for savings based on your income.
• Free or low-cost coverage through
  Medicaid

  Insurance program that provides free or low-cost health coverage to some low-income people, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Many states have expanded their Medicaid programs to cover all people below certain income levels.

  Refer to glossary for more details.

  . If you have children, you’ll find out if they qualify for coverage through the
  Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

  Insurance program that provides low-cost health coverage to children in families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to buy private insurance. In some states, CHIP covers pregnant women.

  Refer to glossary for more details.

  .
  • If your state has expanded Medicaid coverage, you can qualify based on your income alone — in most states that have expanded, that’s about $18,754 or less for a single person, about $25,268 or less for a married couple with no children. Do a quick check here.