In Texas, if you’re applying for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare), your open enrollment period for the 2021 coverage year begins on November 1, 2020. And if you are looking at the marketplace, you may find you have more choice in insurers this year than in past years.

Insurance companies in the Texas marketplace for 2021 coverage

Last year, more than 1.1 million Texans bought their health insurance from one of 8 insurance companies in the Texas marketplace. Two new insurers, Friday Health Plan and Scott & White Health Plan, will bring that total to10 companies for 2021 Obamacare/ACA coverage. Insurers in the Texas marketplace are listed below:

• Celtic/Ambetter (Ambetter from Superior Health Plan)
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas
• CHRISTUS
• Friday Health Plan
• Molina
• Oscar
• Sendero
• SHA/FirstCare
• Community Health Choice
• Scott & White Health Plan

Keep in mind, not all insurers are in all areas of Texas. You’ll have an opportunity to choose from those who serve your community.

How to prepare for Texas Open Enrollment 2021

Mark your calendar on the date, November 1, 2020

This is the first day you can apply for 2021 coverage on the Texas marketplace. This reminder can be the nudge to give yourself plenty of time to compare your options and select the best plan to meet your coverage needs and pocketbook before Open Enrollment ends on December 15^th.

Plan Ahead

Figure out what you need in health coverage so that you can make meaningful comparisons of your options when Texas Open Enrollment comes. Write down some notes:

• How many people in your household need to be covered by the insurance plan, or is it just yourself?
• Do you or family members you intend to have covered by the plan have chronic health conditions, preferred doctors and hospitals, and/or prescription drugs? If the answer is yes, note the names of doctors, hospitals and/or prescription drugs.
  
  Many Texas marketplace plans are Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) or Exclusive Provider Organizations (EPOs), which means they have networks of participating providers you must use to receive benefits for most covered services. For prescription drug coverage, they usually have formularies, that is, lists of covered medications.
  
  You’ll want to look up your providers and medications by name to make sure they are covered by the plan before you select it.
• Do you or your family member have other health insurance coverage options, such as college student insurance or employer-sponsored group health insurance? Even if you declined coverage under other health insurance, knowing its cost can help you compare Texas marketplace plan costs during Texas open enrollment for 2021.
• What is your estimated expected household income for 2021? This information will help you determine if you are eligible for any tax subsidies to reduce your plan premium cost and other cost-sharing reductions available to eligible consumers who purchase ACA plans from the Texas marketplace. Learn more about ACA or Obamacare subsidies.

Gather Paperwork

Whether you apply for an ACA plan through the Texas marketplace online, by telephone, or in person you will need information at your fingertips to complete the application. Minimally, plan on having the following:

• Name, birthdate, social security number of the individual(s) applying for coverage.
• Household size and income (to determine your eligibility for tax subsidies and cost-sharing reductions).
• Banking information or address for billing purpose.
• Address.
• List of prescription drugs

You can download a checklist at Healthcare.gov.

Do some research into your ACA plan options

When Texas open enrollment begins (November 1^st), you can compare coverage options using the eHealth plan finder tool.

• Go to the Individual and Family Coverage page, complete the simple questionnaire, and select Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans when prompted.
• See if you qualify for a tax subsidy and other cost-sharing reductions.
• Sort plan options by insurer or premium cost (estimated subsidies and other qualifying cost-sharing reductions are calculated into the premiums shown if you are eligible for them).
• Review plan benefits, provider directories and the plan’s list of covered medications.
• Compare costs. Insurers’ premiums for the 2021 Texas marketplace haven’t been approved and published at the time of this writing, but our research suggests premiums are not expected to rise significantly. Nation-wide, the average premium increase for 2020 coverage was around 2%.

Get advice when you have questions

Most people find health insurance complicated. At eHealth, we are committed to helping you match health insurance to your personal needs. Not only do we deliver easy-to-use tools to help you research your options online, eHealth licensed insurance agents are available to work with you. Our agents can answer questions you may have about ACA plans in the Texas marketplace, talk with you about ACA-compliant plans off the marketplace as well as other coverage options that may be suitable, affordable alternatives, depending upon your personal situation. Compare individual and family health insurance plans to find the right one for you!

This article is for general information and may not be updated after publication. Consult your own tax, accounting, or legal advisor instead of relying on this article as tax, accounting, or legal advice.