Texas Guide to Finding Texas Health Insurance Coverage

Are you uninsured? You are not alone. Millions of Americans are without health insurance. Some lost their insurance when they lost their jobs. Others work hard, but their jobs don't provide health insurance benefits. Whatever the reason, finding health insurance can be difficult. If you are looking for coverage, this guide can help point the way.

The road to finding health insurance depends on your "starting point." (You may have more than one starting point.)

Starting points:

1. Did you recently lose a job that provided health insurance?
2. Did you recently lose job-based health insurance because of divorce or widowhood, or because you are no longer a dependent of your parents?
3. Did you recently lose your job because of trade policy for example, increased imports or jobs moving overseas?
4. Are you an early retiree who has lost your health coverage?
5. Are you unable to afford health insurance?
6. Do you have a serious medical condition or a disability?
7. Are you looking for health insurance but unable to get it through your job?
8. Are you still unable to find health insurance?

1. If you recently lost your job, had health insurance at that job, and...
...your former employer had at least 20 workers:

Under a federal law called COBRA, if your former employer had at least 20 workers, you have the right to stay in the health plan you had at that job. Family members who were covered as your dependents can also elect to continue coverage. However, you must pay the total premium yourself, which can be very expensive. And you must act quickly. Your former employer will send you a notice about your right to elect COBRA, and then you'll have 60 days from the time you lose your job to sign up for COBRA. COBRA usually guarantees 18 months of coverage, but under special circumstances you can get 29 months of coverage. Some states provide assistance with COBRA premiums to people with disabilities or low incomes.

...your former employer had fewer than 20 workers:

Under Texas law, former workers of small businesses have a right to pay for continuation coverage for six months.