Health insurance built around families, small businesses, and real budgets, not the other way around.

We can take a look at all the plans on the market and find the one that works best for you. If an ACA plan is the better option based on your health and budget, I'll tell you that.

There are a couple of different types of plans we can look at. With ACA plans, you pay first (your deductible, copays and coinsurance, up to your out-of-pocket max), then the insurance company pays. With private market plans, it's mostly set benefit amounts for covered services. Those plans are limited benefit policies, not major medical insurance. I'll show you how the benefit amounts compare to typical costs where you live. I'll walk you through the exact numbers for your plan and state on a call.

It depends on the plan. On the private plans I work with most, there's one, and it's narrow. A deductible applies only if you're in the hospital for 24 or more consecutive hours. For other covered services, the plan pays a set benefit amount with no deductible. If a bill is higher than the benefit, you're responsible for the difference, and there's no out-of-pocket maximum.

It depends on the plan. ACA plans have no waiting period for pre-existing conditions, and they can't turn you down or charge you more because of them. Private plans are medically underwritten. They typically have a 12-month pre-existing condition limitation: anything you were treated for or took medication for in the 12 months before your plan starts isn't covered for your first 12 months. Depending on your health history, underwriting may also exclude a specific condition, charge a higher rate, or decline an application. Tell me what you're dealing with and I'll tell you which option makes sense.

On the private plans I work with most, there's a minimum 7-day wait from enrollment before coverage begins, and underwriting has to clear first. On those plans, preventive care benefits have their own 60-day waiting period. I'll confirm the exact start date for your plan before you commit to anything, so there are no surprises.

The private plans I work with most have a minimum 7-day wait from enrollment before coverage begins, plus underwriting has to clear first. If you genuinely can't wait on that, I also offer a separate plan built for people who need something in place fast without a health history being the blocker. Tell me your timeline and what's driving the urgency and I'll point you to whichever option actually fits: a private plan, the fast-start option, or ACA.

It depends on the plan. The private plans I work with most don't have a prescription drug card. Instead, they pay a set benefit amount per prescription fill, which may be less than what the pharmacy charges. A medication you were already taking before your effective date falls under the same 12-month pre-existing condition limitation, so no benefit is paid for it during your first 12 months. Many prescriptions cost less than people expect once they price-shop. I put a short list of independent price-comparison sites further down this page, and I'll go over your specific medications with you on the call.

Advocacy is a real service, not just a line on the invoice: pricing help before a procedure so you know what it should cost going in, help negotiating medical bills after the fact, and help with claims paperwork. Results of bill negotiation aren't guaranteed. It's included in the quotes for all but my lowest-priced option, and most people don't think about it until they need it, then they're glad it's there.

Your monthly premium is the ongoing cost. There's also a one-time application fee when you enroll, and I'll tell you the exact number before you apply. Getting a quote itself is free and doesn't commit you to anything.

The insurance company pays me a commission when you enroll. It's built into the plan's price, so you don't pay me anything extra, and you'd pay the same premium for the same plan whether you buy it through me or not. Talking with me and getting a quote is always free.

It takes about 10 minutes with me on the line. After you submit you'll get two emails: a welcome email, and a separate one from the carrier marked "Action Required" that asks you to verify. That second one is easy to miss, so check your spam folder if it doesn't show up.

The private plans I work with are guaranteed renewable up to age 65. As long as your premiums are paid, the carrier can't cancel you because you file claims or your health changes. Premiums can change, but only for everyone in the same class, not for you individually. You're also not locked into a long contract term. If it ever stops working for you, we talk about it.

Yes, and I'd rather you hear it from me than find out later. The private plans I work with most don't cover maternity, and they aren't built for ongoing mental health care — those, along with anyone who'd qualify for a subsidized ACA marketplace plan, are cases where I'll point you to ACA coverage instead, sometimes for just one person in the household while everyone else goes a different direction. Every plan also has other exclusions and limitations, and I'll go over the full list for your plan before you enroll. Being upfront about what a plan isn't for is part of doing this right.

ACA plans are priced differently, and if you don't qualify for a subsidy, the premium alone is often higher than a private plan. But premium isn't the only number — ACA plans carry a deductible and an out-of-pocket max, so you're on the hook for real costs above your premium before the plan covers more. The private plans I work with mostly don't work that way. They pay set benefit amounts instead, and you're responsible for anything above those amounts, with no out-of-pocket maximum. Which one actually costs less depends on your subsidy eligibility and how much care you expect to use — that's a real conversation, not a one-line answer, and I'll run it straight either way.

Fixed indemnity insurance is a type of limited benefit health insurance. It pays a set dollar amount for covered services, like a doctor visit or a day in the hospital, no matter what the provider charges, and you're responsible for any costs above that amount. It isn't major medical insurance or ACA coverage. It's often paired with accident, critical illness or specified disease coverage, and I'll walk you through exactly what each part pays.

Some people look at private plans instead of, or alongside, a Marketplace plan. Private plans are medically underwritten and work differently: the ones I work with most are limited benefit policies that pay set amounts, and they aren't a substitute for ACA coverage. If you qualify for a subsidy or have ongoing health conditions, a Marketplace plan is often the better fit. I'll compare both for your household.

Yes, in two ways. If you've had a qualifying life event, like losing job coverage, getting married or moving, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period for a Marketplace plan. Private plans can be applied for any time of year, but they're medically underwritten, so approval depends on your health history.

If you're self-employed or a 1099 worker, you don't have an employer plan, so your main options are an ACA Marketplace plan (with a subsidy if your income qualifies) or a private plan. Many self-employed people can also deduct their health insurance premiums on their taxes; check with your tax professional. I'll lay out both options for your household.

I'm based in Dallas, Texas, and licensed in 28 states. The private plans I offer are available in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Plan availability varies by state.

Yes. Your district's plan is one option, not a requirement, no matter which state you teach in. A common setup is keeping the district plan for yourself and covering your spouse or kids on a private plan, if your district's rules allow it, whichever costs your household less for the coverage you need. I'll show you the real numbers side by side, Marketplace options included, so you can compare apples to apples.

No. A quote is free and there's no obligation. If your current plan is actually the better deal, I'll tell you that directly.