What is a Health Care Marketplace?

With all this Affordable Care Act talk going around, you’ve probably heard the term “Health Care Marketplace,” or maybe even “ObamaCare Marketplace,” dropped once or twice. But just what is this mythical marketplace?

Is it an actual place where insurance salesmen hawk different insurance packages all wrapped up in paper and string? Sort of! But not exactly.

The Health Insurance Marketplace is your state’s price comparison website for subsidized health insurance. Each year during the annual open enrollment period, you can enroll in a plan, switch plans, or apply for cost assistance.

If you don’t receive insurance from your employer, the Health Insurance Marketplace is where you can go to be sure you’re getting health insurance that meets minimum essential coverage and minimum value. And those are things you want to make sure you have, otherwise, you'll have to pay a pretty hefty fine.

As we mentioned earlier, each state has a different marketplace. And you’ll want to make sure you’re on the right website for your state. If you’re in:

• Arkansas, use the Arkansas Health Connector,
• California, use Covered California,
• Colorado, use the Connect for Health Colorado site,
• Connecticut, use Access Health CT,
• District of Columbia, use the DC Health Link,
• Hawaii, use the Hawaii Health Connector,
• Idaho, use Your Health Idaho,
• Kentucky, use Kentucky’s Healthcare Connection,
• Maryland, use the Maryland Health Connection,
• Massachusetts, use the Health Connector,
• Minnesota, use MNsure,
• Nevada
• Individuals: HealthCare.gov
• Employers shopping for employee health plans: Nevada Health Link
• New Mexico, use BeWellNM,
• New York, use the New York State of Health,
• Oregon
• Individuals: HealthCare.gov
• Individuals applying for Medicaid and CHIP: Cover Oregon
• Rhode Island, use HealthSourceRI,
• Utah
• Individuals: HealthCare.gov
• Small businesses and their employees: Avenue H
• Vermont, use the Vermont Health Connect, and
• Washington, use the Washington Healthplanfinder.

If you live in any other state, you’ll use the official Health Insurance Exchange Marketplace website, www.HealthCare.gov. If you live in one of the US territories (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands), you’re not eligible to use the Marketplace to apply for health insurance and should check with your territory’s government offices to learn about your options.




While our software is designed to help employers and third party providers e-file ACA returns, we’re also committed to providing accurate, up-to-date ACA information, so stay tuned for more from ExpressACAForms!