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General Questions Forum

 Here are some common questions we hear and some sample answers. These answers may not be relevant to your specific circumstances and should not be considered legal, financial, or medical advice.

Do I have to take my employer’s insurance?

No. But you may not be eligible for advanced premium tax credits on the state or federal exchange if you do not.

Do I have to give the health insurance exchange/marketplace all my financial information to get insurance?

No. If you do not think you would qualify for advanced tax credits, you can opt to pay full price and skip the whole process. At the end of the year, if you qualify, you will still get your tax credits then directly on your taxes.

Do I have to see a doctor in network?

 No. You can usually pay to see most doctors with cash and if you don’t meet your deductible, it may not matter to your finances. It is true that you never know if something might happen that means you quickly meet your deductible–in that case, that cash doctor’s visit does end up more expensive.

 Can I see a primary care doctor without health insurance?

Of course, most of them. Ask for the cash rate in advance if it is a private practice. They may try to tell you that they can’t estimate because it varies. They can. It may not cost much more (or any more) than you would pay with your insurance for a sick visit–but it won’t apply to your deductible.

Can I get child only health insurance?

I depends on where you live. Each state has it’s own rules on this, but in most places you can–they just make it a bit difficult. For example, in New York some citizens/permanent residents can get CHIP insurance at full price (only a couple of hundred dollars) no matter their income, but this is not offered as an option on the state health exchange online. You have to navigate the system a bit.

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