Health insurance that fits your family

In Arizona, the annual Open Enrollment Period for individual and family ACA health plans runs from November 1 to January 15, using the federal Marketplace at Healthcare.gov. Enroll by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1, or between December 16 and January 15 for coverage that starts February 1. Outside this window you generally can't enroll unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period — and because these dates can shift slightly by plan year, we track them for every client so nothing lapses.

A Special Enrollment Period is a window — usually 60 days — that lets you enroll in or change an ACA health plan outside Open Enrollment after a qualifying life event. Common qualifying events include losing other coverage (leaving a job, aging off a parent's plan at 26, losing AHCCCS/Medicaid eligibility, or COBRA ending), getting married or divorced, having a baby or adopting, or moving to a new area. You typically have 60 days from the event to enroll and may need documentation, and we'll confirm whether your situation qualifies and help you enroll in time.

Most Arizonans who buy their own coverage on Healthcare.gov qualify for a premium tax credit that lowers their monthly premium, based on household income and size. The credit works on a sliding scale and can be applied in advance to reduce what you pay each month; if your income qualifies, choosing a Silver-level plan can also lower your deductibles and copays through cost-sharing reductions. Because the income thresholds and subsidy amounts are set federally and change from year to year, the only reliable way to know your credit is to run your actual numbers — we calculate your exact eligibility for free.

Arizona does not run its own state exchange, so residents buy ACA Marketplace plans through the federal Marketplace at Healthcare.gov. You can enroll directly, or work with a licensed local broker certified to help you on the Marketplace at no additional cost. A broker can compare Marketplace plans alongside off-exchange options, verify your Phoenix-area provider networks, make sure your subsidy is applied correctly, and handle the enrollment — and if your income is very low, we can check whether you qualify for AHCCCS, Arizona's Medicaid program, instead.

An HMO keeps costs lower by requiring you to stay within a defined local network and usually get referrals, while a PPO costs more but lets you see providers more freely, including some out-of-network care. With an HMO you pick a primary care physician, need referrals for specialists, and generally have no coverage outside the network except emergencies; with a PPO you pay higher premiums but need no referrals and get partial coverage for out-of-network care, which suits snowbirds and frequent travelers. Most individual Marketplace plans in Arizona are HMOs, so verifying that your specific doctors and hospitals are in-network is essential — which is exactly what we do before you enroll.

The only reliable way to know is to check the specific plan's provider network before you enroll — and networks change every year. Two plans from the same carrier can have different networks, and a hospital being in-network doesn't guarantee your individual doctor is; in Maricopa County, systems like Banner Health, HonorHealth, Abrazo, Dignity Health, Mayo Clinic, and Phoenix Children's each participate in a different mix of plans. Rather than dig through directories yourself, tell us the doctors, specialists, and prescriptions you want to keep, and we'll confirm which carriers and plans cover them before you commit to anything.

If your income is limited, you may qualify for AHCCCS — Arizona's Medicaid program — which provides free or very low-cost coverage, or for a heavily subsidized Silver Marketplace plan. AHCCCS eligibility is based on household income and size, and you can apply year-round with no Open Enrollment window; if your income is slightly too high for AHCCCS, premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions can bring a Silver plan's premium and out-of-pocket costs down dramatically. We'll check every option you qualify for at no charge and point you to the best fit.

Yes — under the Affordable Care Act, all ACA-compliant plans in Arizona must cover you regardless of any pre-existing condition, and they cannot charge you more or deny you because of your health history. This protection applies to individual and family plans bought on or off Healthcare.gov during Open Enrollment or a Special Enrollment Period. The exception is short-term and other non-ACA plans, which are medically underwritten and can exclude pre-existing conditions — so if you have ongoing health needs, an ACA plan is almost always the right choice, and we'll make sure you land on one that fully covers your conditions and medications.

Short-term health plan durations are set primarily by federal rules, which were tightened in 2024 to limit new short-term policies to an initial term of up to 3 months, with total duration — including any renewal — capped at 4 months. Arizona generally follows the federal framework rather than extending it. Because these limits have changed under different federal administrations, the current maximum can shift over time, so we'll confirm exactly how long a short-term plan can cover you under the current rules — and whether it's even the right tool for your gap.

The key difference is that ACA Marketplace plans are comprehensive and guaranteed-issue, while short-term plans are cheaper but limited, medically underwritten, and not required to cover essential benefits. ACA plans cover the ten essential health benefits, cannot deny you or exclude pre-existing conditions, and qualify for subsidies; short-term plans have lower premiums but can deny you based on health, exclude pre-existing conditions, and often don't cover maternity, mental health, prescriptions, or preventive care, and they don't qualify for subsidies. Short-term coverage is a temporary bridge, not a replacement for comprehensive insurance.

No — short-term health plans generally do not cover pre-existing conditions, and they can deny your application or exclude treatment related to conditions you already have. Because short-term plans are medically underwritten, the insurer reviews your health history and can decline coverage, charge more, or write in exclusions for anything diagnosed or treated before the plan started. If you take regular medications or have an ongoing condition, an ACA-compliant plan — which must cover pre-existing conditions — is almost always the safer choice.

Short-term health insurance is best for healthy people who need a temporary bridge over a specific, short gap in coverage. Common situations include being between jobs while waiting for new coverage to begin, waiting for an ACA plan to start after enrolling during Open Enrollment, missing Open Enrollment with no qualifying event for a Special Enrollment Period, being new to Arizona, or bridging a short gap before Medicare eligibility at 65. It is not a good fit for anyone with ongoing health needs or anyone who qualifies for a subsidized ACA plan — we'll help you weigh which truly fits your gap.

Short-term plans typically cover unexpected medical events like accidents, emergency room visits, and hospitalization, but they commonly exclude the comprehensive benefits ACA plans must include. Frequently excluded or limited items include pre-existing conditions, prescription drugs, maternity care, mental health and substance-use treatment, and routine preventive care; they also carry their own deductibles and coverage caps and do not include an ACA out-of-pocket maximum, so a serious claim could exceed the plan's limits. Always read the specific plan's benefits and exclusions carefully — this is exactly where a licensed broker adds value, by flagging the gaps before you enroll.

In many cases, yes — depending on your situation, a subsidized ACA plan, AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid), or a Special Enrollment Period is often a stronger option than short-term coverage. If you recently lost coverage, moved, married, or had a baby, you may be able to enroll in a full ACA plan right now; if your income is limited, AHCCCS offers free or low-cost comprehensive coverage year-round; and many people qualify for premium tax credits that make a full ACA plan surprisingly affordable — sometimes cheaper than a short-term plan, with far better protection. We check all of these for free before ever recommending a short-term plan.

Yes — unlike ACA plans, short-term health insurance is medically underwritten, which means the insurer can deny your application, charge you more, or exclude certain conditions based on your health history. During the application you'll answer health questions, and past or current conditions can lead to a denial or a policy that excludes related care. This is a fundamental difference from ACA Marketplace coverage, which must accept everyone regardless of health — if you're concerned about being denied or about pre-existing conditions being excluded, an ACA-compliant plan is the guaranteed-acceptance route.