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Whether you’re self-employed, between jobs, or just shopping for better family coverage — get plain-English help comparing real options that fit your budget and keep your doctors.
Different starting points, same goal: coverage you understand, at a price that makes sense.
Freelancers, contractors, gig workers, solo professionals — when there’s no HR department, coverage is on you. We’ll show you what’s actually available, what it really costs, and how to avoid overpaying for a plan that doesn’t include your doctors.
Losing employer coverage is stressful — but it also opens a special window to enroll in a new plan, and COBRA is rarely your only choice. We’ll map your options quickly so there’s no gap and no panic decision.
Kids, spouses, different doctors, different needs — family coverage has more moving parts. We’ll help you compare the whole picture: premiums, deductibles, networks, and whether one plan or a mix actually serves your family best.
Most people only ever hear about one path. There are usually several — and the right one depends on your situation.
Comprehensive plans available to everyone regardless of health history, covering essentials like doctor visits, hospital care, and prescriptions. For many households, this is the starting point of the conversation.
Depending on your household income and size, you may qualify for help that meaningfully lowers your monthly premium. Many self-employed people qualify and never realize it — checking costs nothing.
Coverage purchased outside the marketplace. For some situations these can make sense; for others they carry real trade-offs. This is exactly where independent guidance earns its keep.
Sometimes the best answer is a combination — one plan for you, another approach for your kids, supplemental coverage filling gaps. We look at the household, not just the individual.
Unlike car insurance, health coverage runs on enrollment windows. The good news: life changes open doors.
November 1 – January 15, most states
The yearly period when anyone can enroll in or change marketplace coverage for the coming year. Some states run their own marketplaces with slightly different dates — we’ll confirm yours.
60 days after a qualifying life event
Losing job-based coverage, moving, getting married, having a baby — qualifying life events typically open a 60-day window to enroll outside the annual period. If something just changed in your life, don’t assume you have to wait.
Varies by option
Certain coverage types outside the marketplace follow their own enrollment rules. If you’ve missed the main window, it’s still worth a conversation — “wait until next year” isn’t always the real answer.
Joshua Ruiz founded Health Market Advocates on a simple idea: people deserve to understand their coverage, not just buy it. His team of licensed advocates works the same way — checking your doctors and prescriptions first, explaining trade-offs in plain English, and staying in your corner after you enroll with claims help and annual reviews.
We’re building a plain-English guidebook for self-employed professionals and families: how marketplace plans and subsidies really work, the questions to ask before enrolling, and the mistakes that cost people the most.
Want it the moment it’s ready? Join the list and we’ll send it first.
🔒 We’ll never share or sell your information.
A Health Market Advocates team member will review your request and reach out within one business day.
Want to skip the wait? Book with our team now →🔒 Your information is secure and will never be shared or sold.
The questions people actually ask us — answered the way we’d answer them in person.
Maybe not — and this is the most common wrong assumption we hear. Premium help is based on your household income and size, and the thresholds are higher than most people expect. Many self-employed professionals and families qualify for meaningful help and never check. Checking takes minutes and costs nothing.
That’s the first thing we check — before ever talking plans. Your doctors, your hospital, and your prescriptions get compared against any plan we consider. Plans with lower premiums sometimes come with narrower networks, and knowing that trade-off up front is exactly the point of a review.
Losing employer coverage typically opens a special enrollment window — usually 60 days — to enroll in a new plan. COBRA is one option, but it’s often the most expensive one, and marketplace or other coverage can cost far less for similar protection. The key is talking through it early in your window, not at day 55.
No. Marketplace plans are often the right starting point — especially if you qualify for premium help — but depending on your situation there may be private plan options worth comparing too. Each path has real trade-offs, which is why we walk through them side by side instead of pushing one answer.
Sometimes, yes — and sometimes that’s the smartest setup. Depending on your household income, children may qualify for different programs or plans than the adults, and mixing approaches can improve coverage while lowering the total cost. We look at the household as a whole, not one application at a time.
No — our guidance comes at no cost to you. We’re compensated by insurance carriers when you enroll, and that doesn’t change your premium. Because we’re independent and compare many carriers, our recommendation is built on what fits you.
