Health insurance coverage, plans, brokers, costs, and enrollment guidance for consumers and small employers.
Health insurance in the United States is confusing by design. There are multiple plan types, different cost-sharing structures, enrollment windows that open and close, and rules that change every year. About 156 million Americans get coverage through an employer, 21.3 million buy it on the ACA Marketplace, and roughly 26 million remain uninsured.
This section covers all of it. Whether you need to understand what a deductible is, compare HMO and PPO plans, figure out open enrollment deadlines, or decide whether a health insurance broker is worth talking to, start here.
Every health plan splits costs between you and the insurer through four mechanisms: premiums, deductibles, copays, and coinsurance. Your out-of-pocket maximum caps what you pay in a year. For 2026, ACA plans limit that to $10,150 for individuals and $20,300 for families. If those terms sound like jargon, our explainers break each one down with real dollar amounts from the KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey.
The plan type you pick determines which doctors you can see, whether you need referrals, and what happens if you go out of network. PPOs offer the most flexibility (47% of workers have one). HMOs cost less but lock you into a network. EPOs sit in between. HDHPs pair low premiums with high deductibles and unlock Health Savings Accounts. We compare them all side by side so you can match a plan to how you actually use healthcare.
You can't buy health insurance whenever you want. The ACA Marketplace open enrollment for 2026 runs November 1, 2025 through January 15, 2026. Outside that window, you need a qualifying life event. Employer plans have their own schedules. Our enrollment guides cover exact dates, what counts as a qualifying event, and how to avoid paying more than you need to.
Licensed health insurance brokers compare plans across carriers at no cost to you (the insurer pays their commission). If the marketplace feels overwhelming, a broker can walk you through options based on your doctors, medications, and budget. We explain how brokers work and when they make sense.
About 67% of Americans have private health insurance through an employer or the marketplace. Here's how to get it and what it covers.
EPOs skip referrals like PPOs but don't cover out-of-network care. Here's when each plan type makes sense and what the cost difference looks like.
HMOs cost less but restrict your choices. PPOs cost more but let you see any doctor. Here's a side-by-side comparison with real cost data.
The out-of-pocket maximum caps what you pay in a year. For 2026, it's $10,150 for individuals. Here's what counts toward it and what doesn't.
Copays are flat fees. Coinsurance is a percentage. Both come out of your pocket, but they hit your wallet differently. Here's how to tell them apart.
Coinsurance is the percentage of a medical bill you're responsible for after your deductible. Most plans use an 80/20 split. Here's how it works.
A deductible is how much you pay for medical care before your insurance starts helping. Average deductibles, how they reset, and what's exempt.
Health insurance costs $746/month for single coverage on average through an employer. Marketplace plans vary wildly. Here are the real numbers.
Health insurance brokers compare plans from multiple companies at no cost to you. Here's how they get paid, what they do, and when to use one.
Short-term plans are cheap and fast to get, but they can deny you for pre-existing conditions and skip major benefits. Here's who they actually help.
A comparison of the largest U.S. health insurers by coverage, cost, quality ratings, and network size. No affiliate links, just the data.
HDHPs trade higher deductibles for lower premiums and HSA eligibility. Here are the 2026 IRS thresholds and who actually saves money with these plans.
HMO plans cost less but limit you to in-network doctors and require referrals. Here's how they work and whether one makes sense for you.
PPO plans let you see any doctor without a referral, in or out of network. Here's how PPOs work, what they cost, and who they're best for.
How health insurance actually works, from premiums and deductibles to plan types and enrollment windows. Plain-English explanations with current numbers.
ACA open enrollment for 2026 runs November 1, 2025 through January 15, 2026. Here are the key dates, what's changing, and how to pick a plan.
A copay is a flat fee you pay at the doctor's office or pharmacy. Here's what typical copays cost and when you don't have to pay one.
Coinsurance is the percentage of a medical bill you pay after meeting your deductible. Here's how the math works and when it stops.
Your deductible is what you pay before insurance kicks in. Here's how deductibles work, what the average amounts are, and why preventive care is free.
Original research from the Center for Studying Health System Change
Originally published December 2009
Originally published December 2001
Originally published December 2012
Originally published December 2001
Originally published May 2010
Originally published January 2013
Originally published March 2011
Originally published May 2004
Originally published April 2000
Originally published March 2000
Originally published September 1996
Originally published October 2013
Originally published October 2008
Originally published July 2010
Originally published March 2004
Originally published April 1997
Originally published September 2011
Originally published October 2005
Originally published September 2005
Originally published January 2003
Originally published October 2013
Originally published September 2005
Originally published August 2005
Originally published August 1997
Originally published April 2000
Originally published July 2001
Originally published July 2013
Originally published October 1999
Originally published June 1996
Originally published October 2000
Originally published November 2009
Originally published February 2002
Originally published November 2004
Originally published June 2013
Originally published October 2004
Originally published August 2005
Originally published August 2002
Originally published December 2005
Originally published January 2005
Originally published September 2009
Originally published January 2004
Originally published August 2004
Originally published July 2004
Originally published February 2002
Originally published November 2011
Originally published July 2002
Originally published March 2000
Originally published October 2011
Originally published July 2000
Originally published August 2005