Best Health Insurance Agencies in Wichita Falls

Frequently Asked Questions

• Introduction

  If you're looking for health insurance for yourself or your family, an agent can help you save time, understand your options, and manage your costs. Insurance agents must be licensed in the state where they operate. They can provide information about on- and off-exchange plans to help you weigh all of your options, and they can see if you qualify for tax credits that can lower your monthly premiums. There's no cost to work with an agent, and they can help you save quite a bit by recommending the best plan for your needs. Here's what you should know before you get started.
  

• Where can one acquire affordable health insurance for their child in Wichita Falls?

  Families in Wichita Falls can enroll their children in Medicaid or CHIP, two programs that provide low-cost health insurance. Both plans cover medical care, medication, as well as dental and vision care. To be eligible for Children's Medicaid, you must not have any out-of-pocket expenses. CHIP coverage has an annual premium of less than $50 per family. Certain medical services, however, require copayments. You may be required to pay a copay in addition to the full price when receiving medical care or purchasing a prescription.

• Is it possible to add dependents to an existing health insurance policy in Wichita Falls?

  In Wichita Falls, family members can be added to an employer-sponsored health plan. You can also buy through insurance companies or the market. Your dependents can stay on your plan until they turn 26. They are not required to live at home, attend school, or qualify for dependent status on your tax return. Employees' married children are eligible to participate in your plan, but their spouses and children are not.

• What factors influence the price of Wichita Falls health plans?

  When calculating your premium, insurance providers in Wichita Falls will consider your age, where you live, whether you use or smoke tobacco, and whether you want coverage for yourself or your entire family. Meanwhile, health insurance premiums paid through an employer are calculated using information from the entire group. If you smoke tobacco, you may incur additional expenses. Your employer may pay all or a portion of your premiums. Employers, however, do not cover the premiums of family members enrolled in an individual health plan.

• Does Wichita Falls require its residents to carry health coverage?

  There is no federal requirement for Wichita Falls residents to have health insurance, and no such requirement exists under Texas law. The state has one of the highest percentages of people enrolled in health insurance obtained through the federal exchange, placing it among the top states in the United States in this metric.

• When is the final day of the month when residents in Wichita Falls can sign up for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act?

  The deadline for open enrollment in the Affordable Care Act is January 31st. After January 31st, you will be required to meet the Special Enrollment Period requirements. You may be eligible for a Special Enrollment Period in Wichita Falls if you were divorced, lost health insurance as a result of a divorce, married, had a child, adopted, or fostered, or if someone in your health plan died within the last 60 days.

• How can you find affordable health insurance? 

  Affordable insurance is available through employers, Medicare, Medicaid, and the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, which offers subsidies in the form of tax credits. You can also purchase coverage through private insurance companies and independent agents. Nearly half of all Americans have employer-sponsored health insurance, and about 10% of the population is uninsured.