Health Insurance Quotes — Subsidies Up to 100%.

For 2026, 91% of HealthCare.gov enrollees qualify for a premium tax credit thanks to the extended ARPA/IRA subsidy enhancements (Congressional Budget Office, 2025). A family of four earning $80,000 in a benchmark Silver plan typically pays $0–$200/month after subsidy versus a $1,950/month sticker price. The first move when you lose employer coverage should always be to model the ACA subsidy — not to default to COBRA, which is almost always the most expensive option ($600–$2,400/mo for the full unsubsidized employer rate).

Short-term limited-duration insurance (STLDI) is the right answer in three specific cases: you're between jobs for under 4 months and healthy, you missed Open Enrollment and have no Qualifying Life Event, or you need stop-gap coverage before Medicare kicks in. The catch: STLDI excludes pre-existing conditions, caps annual benefits, and is now banned outright in CA, NY, NJ, CO, and WA — and limited to 3 months in most other states under the 2024 federal rule.

Medicaid (and CHIP for kids) is the right answer if your household earns under 138% of the federal poverty level — $20,783/yr for a single adult, $43,056 for a family of four in 2026. Coverage is functionally free, and 40 states + DC have expanded eligibility. CoverShield's licensed health agents can model your subsidy and Medicaid eligibility in the same 10-minute call.

The Marketplace's metal-tier system (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) describes what share of total medical costs the plan covers — not what you'll pay monthly. Higher metal = higher premium + lower out-of-pocket. The catch most shoppers miss: the subsidy is calculated against the second-cheapest Silver plan, so Bronze plans often cost surprisingly little after subsidy while Silver costs the most relative to its actuarial value.

Premium and deductible get all the attention — but the network is where most ACA buyers get burned. An HMO with a narrow regional network can save $200/month versus a PPO, but a single out-of-network ER visit can cost $40,000+ in balance billing. Before you pick a plan, do three things: (1) look up every doctor and hospital you actually use in the plan's online provider directory, (2) check whether the in-network children's hospital and Level 1 trauma center are reasonably close to home, and (3) verify your specific prescription is on the formulary at a non-specialty tier.

EPO and POS plans split the difference. EPOs cover only in-network providers (no referrals needed, but no out-of-network coverage). POS plans require referrals but cover out-of-network at a reduced rate. For 2026, Kaiser, Oscar, and Centene are leading the EPO/HMO model in most states. CoverShield agents pull the live provider directory for your county on the call so you don't pick a plan that drops your child's pediatrician on January 1.