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Health insurance advisor for self-employed people and early retirees in Texas
SmartHealthMatch matches Texas residents who are self-employed or retiring before 65 with one Texas-licensed health insurance advisor who compares private underwritten plans against HealthCare.gov marketplace plans and says which costs less for your household. The check takes two minutes, is free, and your information is never sold.
Prefer to talk? (269) 953-2357 — a licensed advisor, not a call center · 7 days, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. ET
Advisors in this network are licensed in Texas · license details on our disclosures page · one advisor per person, never a call list · not a government site — marketplace plans are also at HealthCare.gov or your state marketplace
Licensed in Texas
The operating advisor's Texas license: 3512998 (General Lines Agent). Partner advisors in the network hold their own Texas licenses, available on request. Verify any producer at nipr.com/help/look-up-your-license or through the Texas Department of Insurance, whose consumer help line is 800-252-3439.
Not a government website. SmartHealthMatch is a free matching service operated by Smart Health Match LLC; advisors are paid by insurance carriers when a policy is issued. Texas uses HealthCare.gov, and you can always enroll there directly.
Your four coverage routes in Texas (2026)
The advisor's job is to price all four routes for your ZIP code and household, not to steer you toward one.
| Route | Who it fits | Guaranteed issue? | Pre-existing conditions | When you can enroll |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketplace plan with a subsidy | Households with 2026 income under $62,600 (one person) or $128,600 (family of four) | Yes | Fully covered, no health questions | Nov 1, 2026 – Jan 15, 2027 for 2027 coverage, or a special enrollment period |
| Marketplace plan at full price | Income above the subsidy line, especially with a real health history | Yes | Fully covered, no health questions | Same window as above |
| Private underwritten plan | Generally healthy, above the subsidy line, often wanting a broader PPO-style network | No — carrier approval required | May be limited, excluded with a rider, or cause a decline | Applications taken year-round, subject to approval |
| Spouse's employer plan | Married, and the spouse premium is reasonable | Yes, during the employer's window | Fully covered | Employer open enrollment, or after losing other coverage |
The honest limitation: private underwritten plans are not guaranteed issue. The carrier can decline your application, charge more, or exclude a pre-existing condition, and these plans are not ACA coverage and do not qualify for premium tax credits. For anyone with a subsidy or a significant health history, the marketplace plan is usually the better answer, and when it is, the advisor says so. Texas has not expanded Medicaid, so project income carefully: below the poverty line there may be no subsidy either.
Three Texas numbers worth knowing for 2026
- Benchmark premium. The average benchmark silver premium for a 40-year-old in Texas rose from $489 a month in 2025 to $661 a month in 2026, before any subsidy (KFF, Marketplace Average Benchmark Premiums; checked September 14, 2026). In Harris County the second-lowest silver plan for a 40-year-old is $592 a month, and the statewide county median is $724 (CMS QHP Landscape PY2026, data current August 4, 2026; checked September 14, 2026).
- Rate change. Texas insurers' approved 2026 individual-market increase averages +34.7%, weighted, for unsubsidized premiums (ACA Signups, Texas 2026 rate changes, final; checked September 14, 2026).
- Subsidy line. Because the enhanced tax credits expired December 31, 2025, the 400% of poverty cap is back: $62,600 for one person and $128,600 for a family of four (2025 HHS poverty guidelines, 90 FR 5917, which set 2026 eligibility; checked September 14, 2026). Above that, marketplace plans are full price.
Insurer count for context: 15 insurers sell 2026 marketplace plans in Texas by KFF's parent-company count, 16 by healthinsurance.org's filing-entity count; the CMS plan file shows 214 of 254 counties with three or more insurers. Checked September 14, 2026. We do not name carriers on this site.
How the match works
- Tell us your ZIP code, your situation, and your household. Self-employed, retiring early, or between jobs; how many people need coverage; a rough income. No health questions online.
- You are matched with one licensed advisor for Texas. One person, not a call list. Spanish-speaking advisors are available if you would rather do this in Spanish.
- You get a written side-by-side with your doctors checked. Your subsidized and full-price marketplace numbers, plus a private underwritten quote if you are likely to qualify, with your doctors and hospitals checked against each network. Usually within the hour, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, 7 days a week.
Who this is for
A good fit: self-employed Texans, 1099 contractors, owner-only businesses with no group plan, people retiring before 65 who need a bridge to Medicare, and people between jobs whose COBRA quote looks too high. The question is always which route costs least without giving up your doctors.
Not for you: if you are 65 or older, this page is about under-65 coverage; Medicare enrollment is at medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE. And if your household is under the subsidy line, a subsidized HealthCare.gov plan is very often the best deal available. We run the numbers and say so.
Frequently asked questions
Is SmartHealthMatch free?
Yes. The two-minute check is free and there is never a fee to work with the advisor. Licensed advisors are paid by insurance carriers when a policy is issued, not by you, and the price you pay for a plan is the same whether or not an advisor helped you.
Will my information be sold?
No. Your details go to one Texas-licensed advisor and no one else. They are never sold, auctioned, or shared with other agents, unlike the big quote sites that pass a lead to many buyers.
Do I have to answer health questions?
Not to get matched. The check asks for your ZIP code, your situation, and household size and income. Health questions come up only if you and your advisor decide to apply for a private underwritten plan, which reviews health history before approval. Marketplace plans never ask.
What if a marketplace plan is my best option?
Then that is what you will be told. If your household qualifies for a subsidy, or you have a health history that a private plan would exclude, the HealthCare.gov plan usually wins and your advisor will say so and help you enroll there instead of selling you something else.
Can I get covered outside open enrollment in Texas?
Sometimes. HealthCare.gov opens for 2027 coverage from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, and outside that window you need a qualifying event such as losing other coverage, moving, or getting married. Private underwritten plans take applications year-round, subject to carrier approval, which is why healthy applicants who missed the window ask about them.
One licensed advisor, all four Texas routes compared, your doctors checked, your info never sold.
Get my Texas numbers →Read the Texas guides: self-employed health insurance in Texas · retiring before 65 in Texas.
Sources: KFF benchmark premiums (fetched September 14, 2026) · ACA Signups, Texas 2026 rate changes (final) · CMS QHP Landscape PY2026 (data current August 4, 2026) · HHS 2025 Poverty Guidelines, 90 FR 5917 · HealthCare.gov dates and deadlines · KFF and healthinsurance.org insurer counts · KFF Medicaid expansion status · Texas Department of Insurance.