Texas · Coverage Guide

Texas health plans for families and employers.

ACA plans through HealthCare.gov, employer group coverage from level-funded to ICHRA, and Texas Medicaid context — all under one TDI-licensed platform with broker support from the Metroplex to Houston to Austin.

ACA-compliant plans Group plans for employers No-cost consultation
Marketplace
HealthCare.gov (federal marketplace)
Federally facilitated marketplace. www.healthcare.gov
Medicaid program
Texas Medicaid
Administered by Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). www.hhs.texas.gov/services/health/medicaid-chip
Carrier regulator
Texas Department of Insurance (TDI)
Licenses carriers and brokers and reviews rate filings. www.tdi.texas.gov
Uninsured rate
16.4%
Texas non-elderly uninsured rate 2023 ACS, U.S. Census Bureau) — highest in the nation National average ~7.6%.
What Benefitra covers in Texas

Four pillars. One platform.

Benefitra is the parent platform for benefits brokerage, HR SaaS, marketing, and decision-support tools. Texas employers can adopt one pillar or stack them.

Insurance

Health, dental, vision, life, disability. Individual, family, group.

Funding strategies →

Employee Benefits

Seven funding paths: fully-insured, level-funded, self-funded, ICHRA, PEO-integrated, captive, Taft-Hartley.

Compare paths →

Marketing & SEO

Lead-engine and rankings for growing employers. Page-2-to-page-1 in months.

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Business Tools / SaaS

586 free calculators: ACA, COBRA, ROI, valuation, projector.

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Coverage options in Texas

Affordable, compliant, and built for the way you actually buy.

Texas health plans give consumers and employers more options for dependable health insurance coverage. These options match different budgets and needs.

Individual and family plans. Texas uses the federally facilitated marketplace at HealthCare.gov — Texas does not operate its own state-based exchange. Plans are ACA-compliant qualified health plans regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI). Coverage varies by household income, county of residence, and plan year. Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the nation at 16.4% (2023 ACS), partly because Texas has not expanded Medicaid.

Qualified health plans and subsidies. Marketplace plans cover the federal essential health benefits. Most Texas enrollees qualify for premium tax credits based on household income, and many also qualify for cost-sharing reductions on silver plans. Open enrollment runs annually (Nov 1 – Jan 15 historically), with special enrollment periods for qualifying life events. The American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act enhanced subsidies above 400% FPL through plan year 2025.

Texas Medicaid context. Texas Medicaid is administered by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). Texas has not expanded Medicaid under the ACA, which leaves a coverage gap for non-disabled adults: parents qualify only up to roughly 15% FPL, and childless non-disabled adults do not qualify regardless of income. Pregnant women qualify up to 198% FPL and children up to 201% FPL through CHIP. Texas continues to rank in the top three for uninsured rate among working-age adults.

Pairing a plan with an HSA. HSA-eligible high-deductible Texas health plans let employees pay eligible medical expenses with pre-tax dollars, with 2026 contribution limits at $4,400 individual / $8,750 family per IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-19. Supplemental plans (accident, dental, vision, disability) cover gaps the primary medical plan doesn't.

Employer group plans in Texas. Texas employers with 2 or more employees can offer group health insurance year-round. Mid-market employers across the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin metros increasingly use level-funded, self-funded, or ICHRA designs to control renewals — especially relevant in Texas where the Medicaid gap means more workers depend on employer-sponsored coverage. Benefitra's Funding-Fit Discovery models the math across all seven arrangements.

Individuals

Individual & family plans

ACA-compliant plans with essential health benefits, network access, and subsidy eligibility based on income.

Employers

Group health insurance

Small-business and mid-market plans, level-funded and self-funded options, premium-stability strategies.

Public programs

Medicaid & Medicare

State-administered Medicaid for eligible Texas residents; Medicare access by age or disability.

What Texas clients say

Real outcomes, real Texas employers.

Sam helped us bring Texas group renewals under control without cutting benefits. The strategy work made a measurable difference at renewal.

— Texas employer, distribution

Switching to a level-funded design cut our health spend meaningfully and gave us monthly visibility we never had on fully-insured.

— Dallas-Fort Worth mid-market employer

As a Texas family of four on the marketplace, our subsidies and plan choice improved year over year. The Benefitra team walked us through it.

— Houston-area family plan member
Frequently asked questions

Texas health insurance — answered.

Marketplace, Medicaid, group plans, and ICHRA. Common Texas-specific questions for families and employers.

Where do Texans enroll in ACA health plans in 2026?
Texans enroll through HealthCare.gov, the federally facilitated marketplace. Texas does not operate its own state-based exchange. Open enrollment runs annually (Nov 1 – Jan 15 historically), with special enrollment for qualifying life events. Plans are ACA-compliant qualified health plans, and most enrollees qualify for federal premium tax credits based on household income.
Did Texas expand Medicaid?
No. As of 2026, Texas has not adopted the ACA Medicaid expansion. Parents qualify only up to roughly 15% FPL, and childless non-disabled adults do not qualify regardless of income. Pregnant women qualify up to 198% FPL and children up to 201% FPL through CHIP. This leaves Texas with the nation's largest coverage gap and the highest uninsured rate at 16.4% (2023 ACS).
Who regulates Texas health insurance carriers?
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) licenses carriers and brokers and reviews rate filings. Complaints, license verification, and form filings flow through TDI. Brokers selling on HealthCare.gov are also separately registered with CMS.
Can a Texas small business offer group health insurance?
Yes. Small-group plans are available year-round for Texas employers with 2 or more employees. Group plans guarantee issue regardless of medical history. Small businesses with fewer than 25 FTEs may qualify for the federal Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. Texas employers in the DFW, Houston, and Austin metros increasingly look at level-funded designs to control renewal volatility.
What is ICHRA and is it allowed in Texas?
ICHRA (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement) lets Texas employers reimburse employees tax-free for individual ACA plans bought on HealthCare.gov. ICHRA is federally permitted and fully available in Texas. It is often used by Texas employers who want a defined-contribution benefits budget while giving employees plan choice — particularly relevant given Texas's wide geographic spread and varied rating areas.

Find your Texas funding fit in five minutes.

Answer twelve short questions. We grade your fit across the seven funding arrangements — fully-insured, level-funded, self-funded, captive, ICHRA, PEO-integrated, and Taft-Hartley.

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