How to get free health insurance in your city

You might be surprised by how expensive the cost of health insurance is in the United States is. However, the cost isn’t the only challenge for people navigating health insurance—it's also a complex system.

This article will explain what you need to know to get affordable health insurance and free health insurance.

Here is an overview of several options for free or low-cost health insurance. You'll learn who is eligible, how to apply, and what to expect from each option.

1. Medicaid

Medicaid is a social welfare program. It provides government-sponsored health insurance to low-income people. The insurance covers almost all medically necessary services, which means that it's comprehensive.

In most cases, Medicaid is free health insurance for people who qualify. A few states charge small premiums for people on the higher end of the Medicaid-eligible income scale.

In addition to no premiums, there is no or minimal cost-sharing (for example, deductibles or copayments).

Who Qualifies?

Medicaid works slightly differently in each state. To be eligible, you must meet low-income guidelines (depending on your eligibility category, you may also need to have low assets to qualify for Medicaid).

These guidelines vary depending on several factors including your age, whether you're pregnant, and whether you're disabled.

As a result of the Affordable Care Act's expansion of Medicaid, here is an overview of who is covered in most states:

1.Adults under the age of 65 if their household income is no more than 138% of the federal poverty level

2.Some states have stricter eligibility criteria for adults under the age of 65. To qualify for Medicaid in those states, you must meet low-income guidelines and be a member of a medically vulnerable group

3.Pregnant people and children (income limits for these populations are generally quite a bit higher than the income limits for non-pregnant adults)

4.Disabled people and people age 65 and older, with lower incomes and few assets

2.Affordable Care Act Subsidy

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides government subsidies to make health insurance affordable for people who buy their own health insurance through the exchange/marketplace. This coverage is also called Obamacare.

The law includes premium tax credits (premium subsidies) that offset some or all of the monthly premiums.

There are also cost-sharing reductions (CSR) that reduce the out-of-pocket costs that some enrollees have to pay when they need medical care.

Premium tax credits and CSR are both federal benefits, so they're available nationwide. Some states also offer additional premium subsidies and/or cost-sharing subsidies, on top of the federal subsidies.

How to Apply

If you’re a legal U.S. resident, you can apply for a health insurance subsidy and enroll in a health plan on the health insurance exchange run by your state or by the federal government.

If you're eligible for CSR, all of the available Silver-level plans will have the CSR benefits incorporated into them. This means the deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket maximums on these plans will be lower than they would otherwise be.

3.Short-term Health Insurance

Short-term health insurance often costs less than more comprehensive plans. It's an attractive option for people looking for temporary coverage if they aren't eligible for Marketplace subsidies or missed their enrollment window for ACA-compliant coverage.

4.Job-based Health Plan

Many employers in the U.S. subsidize health insurance for their employees and their employees’ families as part of the employee’s benefits and compensation package.

Health coverage is a common benefit for full-time employees of large companies, but it's less common for part-time employees and small businesses.18

5.Spouse's Health Plan

If your spouse has job-based health insurance, you might be eligible for the same coverage. Most employers extend the offer of job-based health insurance to their employees’ spouses, children, and step-children.

6.Parent's Health Plan

If you’re younger than 26 years old and your parent has health insurance, you're likely eligible to be covered under that plan as well.

(If you're not already enrolled in your parent's health plan, you'll only be able to join the plan during its annual enrollment window or a special enrollment period triggered by a qualifying life event.)

There are a variety of ways to access subsidized health coverage in the U.S. Some plans are free, including most Medicaid plans. Some employer-sponsored plans and marketplace plans can also be low-cost when an employer or government subsidies cover the full cost of coverage.