Michigan ACA Health Insurance Help

Looking for help with an ACA Marketplace plan or Medicare in Michigan? We can help by phone or online.

Instant Health Help is a licensed health insurance agency based in Orlando and Kissimmee, Florida. Our agent, Lobsang Rivas (NPN 18838086), holds an active non-resident health insurance license in Michigan, and we help Michigan residents by phone and online only. We do not have an office in Michigan, and you never need to visit one. Guidance is free to you, and we speak English and Spanish (hablamos español). We are not an insurance carrier, and we do not invent plan names, quote made-up prices, or call any plan the “best.”

Who we help in Michigan

• Self-employed residents and small business owners buying their own coverage
• Families whose employer coverage ended or became too expensive
• People who lost coverage and may have a Special Enrollment Period
• Early retirees who are not yet eligible for Medicare
• People turning 65, and anyone comparing Medicare plans during Annual Enrollment

Plan menus and networks change by county and ZIP code. Choices in metro Detroit can differ from those in Grand Rapids, Lansing, or the Upper Peninsula, so we start with your address.

When Michigan residents can enroll

Michigan uses HealthCare.gov, the federal Health Insurance Marketplace. There is no separate Michigan exchange website for individual plans. For next year’s coverage, HealthCare.gov lists open enrollment as November 1 through January 15:

• November 1: open enrollment starts. You can enroll, renew, or change plans.
• December 15: last day to pick a plan if you want coverage to start January 1.
• January 15: open enrollment ends. Plans picked from December 16 through January 15 start February 1.

Dates can change, so confirm them on HealthCare.gov. Outside this enrollment period, you generally need a qualifying life event, such as losing other coverage, moving, marriage, or a new baby, to get a Special Enrollment Period. Those deadlines are short, so don’t wait.

Healthy Michigan Plan and Medicaid

If your income is low, you may qualify for Medicaid instead of a Marketplace plan. The Healthy Michigan Plan is Michigan’s Medicaid expansion program. It covers eligible residents ages 19 to 64 with income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level. Michigan has announced work requirements for some Healthy Michigan Plan adults starting next year, so check the state’s site for current rules. We are not the state Medicaid office. You can apply through MI Bridges.

How phone and online help works

• You call, text on WhatsApp, or send a message through our contact page.
• We go over who needs coverage, your ZIP code and county, an income estimate, your doctors, and your medications.
• We compare the options available at your address and explain the trade-offs in plain language, in English or Spanish.
• If you decide to enroll, we walk through the application with you by phone or screen share. No pressure, and you can say no.

Medicare help in Michigan

Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, and changes made then start January 1. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 through March 31) gives you one more chance to switch. Turning 65? Your Initial Enrollment Period lasts 7 months: the 3 months before your birthday month, that month, and the 3 months after.

Medicare Advantage and Part D choices depend on your county and ZIP code. We compare Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), and Part D plans we are appointed to offer, using your doctors, pharmacies, and prescription list. You can also get free, unbiased counseling from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which is not connected to any insurance company.

We do not offer every plan available in your area. Contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) to get information on all of your options.

Want to check a license first? Look up NPN 18838086 through NIPR or the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services. Also see our About page and license and disclaimer details.

Michigan ACA & Medicare FAQ

Educational content only. Plan availability, networks, and any savings depend on your household, income, and ZIP code. Instant Health Help is not an insurance carrier and is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government, the federal Medicare program, or any state marketplace. Official sources: HealthCare.gov and Medicare.gov.