Eligible Vermonters can get help paying for a qualified health plan. To get financial help, you must enroll in a Vermont Health Connect plan. If you enroll directly with your insurance company, you can’t get financial help (even if you have a qualifying income.)
Do I have to enroll in a specific plan?
No. You can enroll in any qualified health plan in the marketplace – bronze, silver, gold, or platinum. You can apply premium tax credits to the plan of your choice. Want to know which plan will best meet your needs? Visit the Plan Comparison Tool.
To get financial help, you must:
- Be a United States citizen or legal immigrant.
- Live in Vermont.
- Have a qualifying income.
- File taxes jointly, if married.
To get financial help, you must NOT:
- Be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s taxes.
- Qualify for other health insurance—such as Medicare, Medicaid, or affordable job-based insurance.
- Be in jail.
If you enroll in a qualified health plan through Vermont Health Connect, there are three basic types of help you can get, if you qualify:
- Advance premium tax credits (APTC). This is a program that helps lower your monthly premium. It's based on your federal income taxes. Many people take this tax credit each month to lower their health insurance premiums. Or, you can take the tax credit when you file your federal tax return. Learn more about premium tax credits.
- Cost-sharing reductions reduce your out-of-pocket costs. This program is only available with silver health plans, also called Enhanced Silver plans. These plans are designed to reduce your medical costs by lowering deductibles, co-pays and max-out-of-pocket limits. This means your insurance company covers more of your medical costs, and you pay less. Based on your income, you can get one of four Enhanced Silver plan levels: Enhanced Silver 73, Enhanced Silver 77, Enhanced Silver 87 and Enhanced Silver 94. The number next to the plan name tells you the percent of your medical costs the plan will cover, on average.
- Vermont Premium Assistance (VPA) is money from the State of Vermont that lowers your monthly health insurance bill. The State sends your VPA to your insurance company for you. VPA lowers your monthly health insurance bill by 1.5% of your household income.
Not sure if you qualify for financial help? Use the Plan Comparison Tool to get an estimate. Or, check out Vermont Health Connect’s eligibility tables.
To get financial help, you must enroll in a qualified health plan through Vermont Health Connect. To apply, login to your secure online account, or call our Customer Service Center at 1-855-899-9600.