Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum plans that cover all ten essential health benefits — with premium tax credits for about 4 in 5 enrollees.
Not a government marketplace. Health Enrollment Center is operated by Sprinter Insurance Agency LLC.
Texas has the largest ACA marketplace in the country — roughly 3.9 million people selected a plan in the most recent Open Enrollment, and about 93% of them qualified for a premium tax credit. If you've been putting off coverage because you assume it's unaffordable, that number is worth a second look: after subsidies, a large share of Texans pay little or nothing for a Silver plan.
Every ACA marketplace plan sold in Texas is guaranteed-issue and covers pre-existing conditions, preventive care, prescriptions, maternity, mental health and the rest of the ten essential health benefits. Plans are grouped into metal tiers — Bronze (lowest premium, highest out-of-pocket), Silver (the tier subsidies are calculated against, and the only tier eligible for cost-sharing reductions), Gold and Platinum.
The premium tax credit is what makes marketplace coverage affordable. It's based on your household income relative to the cost of the benchmark Silver plan where you live, so two families with the same income can get very different credits depending on their ZIP code. A licensed agent runs that math with you before you enroll — there is no charge, and the plan price is identical to enrolling on your own.
If your income lands between roughly 100% and 250% of the federal poverty level, a Silver plan also unlocks cost-sharing reductions that quietly lower your deductible and copays. Most people never realize they're leaving that on the table by picking Bronze on price alone. That's the kind of thing a good agent catches.
Texas does not run its own exchange — marketplace plans here are sold through the federal marketplace, HealthCare.gov. In practice that means the enrollment windows, the eligibility rules and the appeals process are the federal ones, and the plan you buy through a licensed agent is the identical plan at the identical price you would find on HealthCare.gov yourself. Texas uses the federal marketplace, HealthCare.gov.
Texas has not expanded Medicaid, and for households above the poverty line that is quietly an advantage: premium tax credits start at 100% of the federal poverty level, so a household that would be pushed onto Medicaid in an expansion state often qualifies for a very large credit on a Silver plan here instead. The line to stay above is 100% — beneath it there is little adult coverage, so estimate income to the line rather than under it. Texas has not expanded Medicaid, which creates a coverage gap for some very low-income adults — but it also means marketplace subsidies are especially important here, and many Texans who assume they can't afford coverage actually qualify for a large premium tax credit.
The carriers writing individual business in Texas include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna CVS Health, Cigna, Ambetter from Superior HealthPlan and others. Networks and pricing are set county by county rather than statewide, so the same carrier can be the best value in one metro and the wrong choice an hour away. We quote Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, San Antonio and Austin — and every county in between.
Don't see yours? Call a licensed agent — most answers take under two minutes.
Yes. We help Texas residents compare ACA marketplace options against the alternatives so you can see the real trade-offs before you enroll.
For most Texans the cheapest real coverage is a subsidized ACA marketplace plan — after the premium tax credit, many qualify for a Silver plan at little or no monthly cost after the credit, while others pay full price. The lowest sticker-price option is usually a Bronze plan, but if your income qualifies you for cost-sharing reductions, a Silver plan is often the better value because it lowers your deductible too. We compare both for your specific ZIP and income.
Through HealthCare.gov, the federal marketplace — Texas does not run its own exchange. You can enroll in those same plans through a licensed agent at no extra cost, which also lets you see private off-marketplace plans that HealthCare.gov does not list.
The carriers writing individual business in Texas include Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna CVS Health, Cigna, Ambetter from Superior HealthPlan and others. Which of them is actually competitive depends on your county rather than the state — the lineup and the networks in Houston are not the lineup in Austin. We are independent and compare across all of them rather than steering you to one company.
Start with your ZIP. Two quick questions, then a licensed agent brings you the plans you actually qualify for — no cost, no obligation.