Texas ACA Health Insurance Help

Need help with an ACA (Obamacare) Marketplace plan or Medicare in Texas? You can get it by phone or online, in English or Spanish.

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 Texas, and we help Texas residents by phone and online only. We do not have an office in Texas, 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 Texas

• Self-employed Texans, contractors, and gig workers buying their own coverage
• Families whose job-based plan ended or got too expensive
• People who lost coverage mid-year and may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period
• Households that just moved to Texas or to a new county
• Spanish-speaking families who want the details explained in Spanish
• People turning 65 who need to move from the Marketplace to Medicare

Texas is a big state, and plan menus and doctor networks change by county and ZIP code. A plan your cousin has in another city may not be offered at your address, so we always start with your ZIP code.

When Texas residents can enroll

Texas uses HealthCare.gov, the federal Health Insurance Marketplace. There is no separate Texas 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.

If HealthCare.gov shows that someone in your household may qualify for Texas Medicaid or CHIP, the state makes that decision. You can also apply directly through Your Texas Benefits.

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 Texas

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, so options in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, or the Rio Grande Valley can look very different. 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.

What we won’t do

We won’t quote prices before we know your household and ZIP code, guarantee a subsidy amount, or push you into a plan. If a plan we can’t offer fits you better, we’ll say so.

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

Texas 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.