Can't Afford Health Insurance? Low-Cost Options (2026)
Can't afford health insurance? Compare Medicaid, CHIP, ACA marketplace subsidies (100%–400% FPL), catastrophic plans, employer coverage.
··15 min read
AppealFlow editorial publishes free guides on US health insurance denials, appeal deadlines, payer processes, and medical billing disputes. Each article explains your rights under ERISA, ACA, or Medicare rules where they apply and links to a matching free appeal generator when one exists.
Health insurance denials arrive with jargon: medical necessity edits, prior authorization failures, step therapy requirements, and remark codes on your remittance advice. Our guides translate those terms into plain steps you can take before an appeal deadline passes. We focus on US health coverage only, not auto, home, or life insurance.
Every guide is written by AppealFlow editorial and reviewed against primary sources such as Healthcare.gov appeal rules, ERISA claims procedure regulations, and Medicare.gov when Medicare topics apply. When a specialized generator fits your denial type, the article points you to the matching tool so you can draft a letter faster.
New articles cover GLP-1 and weight-loss medication appeals, MRI and imaging denials, dental and orthodontic claims, surprise emergency bills under the No Surprises Act, and general workflows like internal appeal versus external review. Use the list below to find a guide that matches your denial reason code or benefit issue.
Start with the denial reason on your EOB or adverse benefit determination letter. Search the article list for your drug name, procedure, or code (for example CO-50 medical necessity or a prior authorization denial). Denial code pages at /denial-codes explain common CARC codes and link to longer how-to guides.
The free appeal generator handles general claim denials. The tools hub lists specialized generators for GLP-1 medications, MRI denials, prior authorization, prescription formulary exceptions, dental claims, and No Surprises Act disputes. Pick the tool that matches the article you read.
Check your EOB for the internal appeal deadline first. ERISA employer plans often allow at least 180 days for a first-level appeal, while ACA marketplace notices may use shorter windows. File before the printed date even if you are still collecting records; many plans let you supplement the file after the initial submission.
173 articles · Newest first
Can't afford health insurance? Compare Medicaid, CHIP, ACA marketplace subsidies (100%–400% FPL), catastrophic plans, employer coverage.
··15 min read
What is a bad faith insurance claim? Learn signs vs coverage appeals, how to document insurer conduct, state DOI complaints, and ERISA limits.
··12 min read
What is a good faith estimate under the No Surprises Act? A written self-pay charge list, not a bill.
··11 min read
What is a letter of medical necessity? A signed clinician statement for prior auth and appeals.
··11 min read
What is a medical insurance policy number? It's your plan's contract ID — separate from your member ID. Learn where to find it for claims and appeals.
··11 min read
What is a peer-to-peer review? A plan clinician call after a prior-auth denial. How to request it, prep for the insurer MD, and file a written appeal.
·11 min read
What is a policy number in health insurance? It's your plan's contract ID — separate from your member ID. Find it on your card, EOB, and insurer portals.
··12 min read
Timely filing denial (CO-29): the claim was filed after the payer deadline. Proof-of-submission appeals, Medicare vs commercial rules.
··10 min read
Allowed amount is the most a plan will pay for a covered service. Coinsurance uses that number, not chargemaster.
··11 min read
What is external review in health insurance? An IRO re-evaluates your denial after internal appeal. ACA Section 2719 binding decisions and who qualifies.
·11 min read
Find the out-of-pocket maximum on your EOB and year-to-date accumulator. See which cost-sharing counts toward the 2026 Marketplace cap.
··12 min read
Bad faith insurance is when health insurers unreasonably deny or delay valid claims. Learn warning signs, state remedies, commissioner complaints.
··11 min read