- 1). Determine what your budget allows as "affordable" for health insurance. Once you have talked to several health insurance carriers in California, you can see if your budget is realistic, or if you need a backup plan--such as reducing your current expenses--to afford your selected insurance.
- 2). Contact various companies that market health insurance in California to obtain a free quote. You can also compare various companies through one source, available at websites such as California-Health-Insurance.com. Examine what each company provides for each premium and compare the monthly costs. Contrast plans that include prescriptions, dental care or even vision care for a nominal fee. Reviewing a variety of companies allows you to see both the advantages and disadvantages of certain plans prior to making a decision.
- 3). Contact the Department of Health Care Services to see if you qualify for California's free Medi-Cal health insurance (known as Medicaid in other states). The state pays health care coverage for qualified low-income families or individuals. If you're not eligible but have children, California's Healthy Families Program is a low-cost health insurance--including vision and dental--for children and teens who have no other health insurance sources.
- 4). Research Calhealth.net, which offers information on health plans available for Californians and a list of California insurance resources and links for individuals that meet various requirements.
- 5). Visit Insurance.ca.gov to see if you qualify for Cal-Cobra or Federal Cobra coverage after the loss of employment. Strict qualifications apply, but if those are met, insurance coverage can continue for an additional 18 months at a lower cost.
- 6). Choose a health insurance policy that provides clearly-defined terms that you can understand if you have no program assistance. Policies should guarantee renewable coverage without the possibility of cancellation by the carrier as long as you make regular, timely payments. The policy should also offer a rescission period--usually up to 10 days--that allows you to back out of the contract if you feel the need to; most will also return your initial premium payment.
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