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Health Insurance Insights

Expert guidance on private health insurance, the Affordable Care Act, Covered California, and avoiding penalties.

Pin marking an important enrollment date on a calendar

California Health Insurance Mandate - Avoid Tax Penalty at Open Enrollment

Special Enrollment Periods Explained: How to Get Health Insurance Mid-Year in 2026

Special Enrollment Periods Explained: How to Get Health Insurance Mid-Year in 2026 By Brandon D. Sears, RHU, REBC® · Updated July 2026 Yes — you can still get health insurance in the middle of the year. Every week, Californians assume that missing open enrollment means going uninsured until January. In reality, two doors stay open all year long: a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) if you have a qualifying life event, and a quieter set of private, off-marketplace options that mostRead More

Brandon D. Sears, RHU, REBC® July 23, 2026 0

Self-employed freelancer working on a laptop at home

California Health Insurance Mandate - Avoid Tax Penalty at Open Enrollment

Self-Employed Health Insurance in California: Your Options for 2026

Self-Employed Health Insurance in California: Your Options for 2026 By Brandon D. Sears, RHU, REBC® · Updated July 2026 Working for yourself comes with a lot of freedom — and one big missing piece: nobody hands you a health plan. If you're a freelancer, independent contractor, gig worker, or small business owner in California, finding coverage is entirely on you. The good news? You may have more options than you think. Here's a clear look at how self-employed Californians canRead More

Brandon D. Sears, RHU, REBC® August 1, 2026 0

Active couple hiking at a scenic mountain viewpoint enjoying early retirement

California Health Insurance Mandate - Avoid Tax Penalty at Open Enrollment

Health Insurance for Early Retirees: Bridging the Gap Before Medicare

Health Insurance for Early Retirees: Bridging the Gap Before Medicare By Brandon D. Sears, RHU, REBC® · Updated July 2026 You've done the math, the savings are in place, and retirement at 58 — or 60, or 62 — finally looks real. Then someone asks the question that stops many early retirements cold: "What are you doing about health insurance until Medicare?" It's a fair question. Medicare eligibility generally begins at 65, which can leave a gap of several yearsRead More

Brandon D. Sears, RHU, REBC® August 1, 2026 0

California Health Insurance Mandate - Avoid Tax Penalty at Open Enrollment

Covered California Income Limits for 2026: What Your Household May Qualify For

Covered California Income Limits for 2026: What Your Household May Qualify For By Brandon D. Sears, RHU, REBC® · Updated August 2026 If you've looked at the official Covered California income table lately, you know it can feel like reading a tax form. Rows of percentages, columns of dollar amounts, and new bands added for 2026 that weren't there last year. Here's the good news: you only need to understand a few key numbers to know where your household likelyRead More

Brandon D. Sears, RHU, REBC® August 3, 2026 0

Illustration of a person choosing between PPO and EPO health insurance paths - PPO vs EPO: Which Should You Choose?

California Health Insurance Mandate - Avoid Tax Penalty at Open Enrollment

PPO vs EPO vs HMO: Which Is Better? A Plain-English Guide for Californians

PPO vs EPO vs HMO: Which Is Better? A Plain-English Guide for Californians By Brandon D. Sears, RHU, REBC® · Updated August 2026 Three little acronyms cause more confusion than almost anything else in health insurance. PPO, EPO, HMO — they all sound alike, and plan brochures rarely explain what the difference means for your actual life. Here's the honest answer up front: none of them is "better" in the abstract. Each one trades flexibility for cost in a differentRead More

Brandon D. Sears, RHU, REBC® August 3, 2026 0

Doctor consulting with a patient about their health history

California Health Insurance Mandate - Avoid Tax Penalty at Open Enrollment

Medically Underwritten Health Insurance, Explained: What It Is and When It Might Make Sense

Medically Underwritten Health Insurance, Explained: What It Is and When It Might Make Sense By Brandon D. Sears, RHU, REBC® · Updated August 2026 If you've been shopping for coverage lately, you may have run into the phrase "medically underwritten health insurance" and wondered what it actually means. It sounds technical, but the idea is simple: it's coverage where the insurance company looks at your health before deciding whether to offer you a plan — and at what rate. That'sRead More

Brandon D. Sears, RHU, REBC® August 12, 2026 0

Group of people joining hands together representing a health sharing community

California Health Insurance Mandate - Avoid Tax Penalty at Open Enrollment

Health Sharing Plans vs Health Insurance: What's the Real Difference?

Health Sharing Plans vs Health Insurance: What's the Real Difference? By Brandon D. Sears, RHU, REBC® · Updated August 2026 Every week, Californians ask us some version of the same question: "My neighbor pays a fraction of what I do through a health sharing ministry — should I switch?" It's an understandable question. The monthly amounts advertised by sharing programs can look very appealing next to an unsubsidized insurance premium. But health sharing plans and health insurance are fundamentally differentRead More