6 tips for getting health insurance for the first time

The Affordable Care Act lets you stay on a parent’s health insurance plan until age 26. After that, you’ll need to enroll on your own.

Typically, you can only enroll in a health insurance plan during certain times of the year. Special enrollment periods are exceptions to these dates. Losing coverage under a parent’s plan is considered a qualifying event, which signals the start of a special enrollment period. Most special enrollment periods last for 60 days after a qualifying event.

• If your parent gets health insurance through their employer: The date you’ll need your own plan may depend on your parent’s insurance provider. Most likely, coverage under their plan will end on the last day of the month that you turn 26, but it could end as soon as your birthday.

• If you are disabled: You may be able to stay on a parent’s plan. Check with the health insurance company to be sure.

Before you decide which health plan you’ll need, it’s important to know how health insurance works. Brush up on key terms, like premium, deductible, coinsurance and copay. Being familiar with what is or isn’t covered can help you save time and money after enrollment.

Think about how much you’ll need to use your insurance.

• If you don’t need to visit your doctor often, or only for your yearly wellness visits: A low-premium, high-deductible plan might be best. Your monthly premium is usually lower, but you pay more out of pocket before the insurance company starts paying its share (your deductible).

• If you know you’ll need to use your insurance benefits frequently: A high-premium, low-deductible plan may be ideal. You’ll pay more each month, but you’ll also meet your deductible faster, meaning your insurance carrier will contribute sooner.

Your doctor could also change when you switch plans. Most health plans allow you to search their provider directory to see which doctors are a part of their network before signing up for benefits.

Before your coverage ends, do some research to find the plan that’s best for you. You have three main options:

• Insurance through your employer. If your employer offers health insurance, you will most likely be allowed to enroll in a plan when your coverage ends. Contact your employer’s human resources department for more details.

• Insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace. If your employer doesn’t provide health insurance or if you’re unemployed, Covered California™ is a good place to start. Covered California is the state’s marketplace, a free resource that can help you enroll in health, dental and vision insurance. Covered California offers financial help, and Sharp Health Plan’s options are available for as low as $0 per month, based on eligibility. You can use the Shop and Compare tool to find out if you qualify for financial help.

• Insurance through Medi-Cal. Medi-Cal offers free or low-cost health insurance to those with low incomes. Applications are accepted year-round.

Not all health plans are created equal. Check out a plan’s ratings before making a decision to determine the quality of care you’ll receive. Sharp Health Plan is one of the highest member-rated health plans in California and received 4 out of 5 stars from Covered California in 2025.

Health insurance is a requirement in California. If you don’t enroll in a health plan, you could face steep fines when you file your state income tax return. Try to start your application sooner rather than later to avoid any penalties.