In 2026, will Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) be a better choice for you? There are two main criteria that I look at when it comes to that decision: income and network.
A Fast Look at Income Requirements
Let’s zero in quickly on the income. This point is very different when I’m working with just an individual or if I’m dealing with a husband and wife. Then, if you add in their children, the income determines who could be eligible for Medicaid. Could it be just the children? Could it be the whole family or just the individual that I’m talking to? That’s what we’re working through in the beginning of a call with MBhealth to find out if Medicaid is even on the table for that family. If they might be eligible, we’ll talk through it.
Is Medicare Terrible Health Insurance?
A lot of people get worried about Medicaid because they think that it’s terrible insurance. It’s not nearly what it used to be when I was doing health insurance 25-plus years ago. It’s an option that has to be reviewed.
Consider the Network You Will Be Part Of
The next criterion to consider is the network that you would be part of. Not all doctors take Medicaid. Not all doctors take Obamacare, so we want to discuss these choices with all our clients. There might be situations where you had a doctor in the past that you may want to see again. If they don’t take Medicaid, then it’s worth considering if Obamacare could be a better solution for you, because those doctors might be in that network.
But if they won’t be in your new network, we certainly want to make sure that you’re armed with that knowledge. You should know which doctors are going to be in network in whichever plan you decide on. The network is a big factor in whether or not you’re going to be limited in your choices of medical providers.
The Right Time for a Health Insurance Consultation
The best time to get a consultation on your health insurance is before enrolling. However, there are times when a person covered by Medicaid loses their coverage in the middle of the year. They didn’t get a choice. They’ve got to do something about it right away.
Or maybe they got kicked off and it was a wrong decision. Then they’ve got to go back through the whole Medicaid application process. Those are times when we at MBhealth can help. We’ll sit down with you and work through your options. Give us a call at (314) 544-5400.
