Affordable health insurance is no longer a pipe dream; with the advent of the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans have access to transparent, affordable health insurance plans. If you’re ready to compare health care plans and enroll in a new health insurance plan, all you have to do is visit your state’s insurance marketplace.

Visit the Health Insurance Marketplace
The ACA gives the responsibility of managing the Health Insurance Marketplace to each individual state. Every state has its own insurance marketplace, which meets requirements set forth in the federal law and administers government programs.

• Find Out if You’re Eligible for Expanded Medicaid or Government Subsidies. Within the text of the ACA, the government has expanded the requirements for qualifying for Medicaid and government assistance. This means that theoretically, more low-income individuals will qualify for government aid when it comes to finding affordable health insurance.

Each program is administered by the state, so check with your state to find out if you’re eligible for expanded Medicaid coverage, or if you may qualify for government subsidies to help pay for your health insurance. Not all states have adopted the expanded Medicaid coverage, though, so residents of some states may find themselves falling into a gap in coverage.

• Compare Health Care Plans. Use your state’s Health Insurance Marketplace to compare health care plans. One of the goals of the ACA is to provide easy-to-understand, clear language for individuals who are shopping for health insurance. Use the insurance marketplace to compare plans, evaluate benefits and costs, and make an informed decision about which affordable health care plan is right for you.
• Enroll in Health Insurance. Once you’ve picked your plan, use the easy to follow instructions to enroll in health insurance. Insurers can no longer deny you coverage based on pre-existing conditions, so the enrollment process has been simplified and streamlined.

To start shopping for your new health insurance plan, use the form on the right to select your ZIP Code and get to your state’s Health Insurance Marketplace.