Health Insurance Sherpa

Need your own health insurance for the first time? Lisa Martin talks with Katie about her first time through the ACA Marketplace in Arizona. They cover how to choose a plan and keep your doctors, how subsidies work, the subsidy cliff, and HSA options. We also bust common ACA myths and share Katie’s advice for first-time shoppers. Follow, share, and reach out to Lisa with your questions. For educational purposes only. Not individual tax, financial, or insurance advice.

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Could keeping the same Medicare drug plan mean paying more next year? Lisa welcomes back Medicare Mike for a practical walkthrough of Medicare.gov, using her dad’s prescription coverage to explore how comparing plans can reveal potential savings.

Together, they explain why the monthly premium tells only part of the story—and how medications, deductibles, pharmacy choices, and estimated annual costs shape the comparison. They also discuss Medicare Advantage versus supplemental coverage, checking provider participation, and why even people who take few prescriptions should consider their coverage options.

Plus, learn how to use your Medicare account to review claims, track your deductible, and prepare for a more productive conversation with your broker. Whether you’re reviewing your own coverage or helping a parent, this episode offers a clearer starting point for navigating Medicare with confidence.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Open enrollment for 2027 ACA Marketplace coverage is almost here, and this year brings big changes for Arizona. Lisa is joined by her general agent, Kim Anderson, to break down the most noteworthy changes and what you need to know before choosing a plan. They dig into Cigna leaving the Arizona Marketplace and what that means for current members, plus rate increases of around 25% from some major players.

The good news? Some ACA companies include valuable benefits for people with diabetes and other specific conditions, like $0 insulin, $0 prescriptions, and $0 specialist visits, making it more important than ever to compare plans instead of auto-renewing. They also cover the subsidy cliff, higher out-of-pocket limits, and how pairing a Bronze plan with an HSA could save you money. For employers of any size, Lisa and Kim explain ICHRA (Individual Coverage HRA, renamed CHOICE Arrangements), a growing option that lets businesses reimburse employees for individual health plans, giving more flexibility and cost control than traditional group coverage.

Whether you’re renewing, shopping for the first time, or offering benefits to employees, this episode will help you navigate open enrollment with clarity and confidence.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Should you stay on your own ACA marketplace plan, or is it time to offer health insurance to your team?

In this episode of The Health Insurance Sherpa, Lisa talks with a small business owner, Brian Howie of PodPopuli, who is weighing that exact decision - with employees in more than one state.

We cover:

- The pros and cons of staying on an ACA individual plan

- How a group health plan works - offering 1-2 plan options, participation requirements

- Covering staff across state lines - national networks vs. the CHOICE Arrangement (formerly ICHRA) and QSEHRA

- Questions every owner should ask before ACA Open Enrollment starts November 1

Whether you're a solo owner or growing a team, this conversation will help you see your options with clarity and confidence.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Headlines this week say hundreds of thousands of people are losing their ACA coverage - but what's really going on? In this episode, Lisa breaks down the CMS announcement canceling about 315,000 enrollments covering roughly 760,000 people so far, over suspected fraud, plus over 400,000 more being asked to re-verify eligibility. You'll learn what's changing for 2027 open enrollment, including a new annual agent authorization starting October 12 and who may need to complete identity verification. Then we flip to what you can control: how enrollment fraud happens, the warning signs to watch for, and a simple five-minute check to make sure your coverage is exactly what you think it is.

Open enrollment starts November 1st - how you can get ready now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Open enrollment isn't just a deadline - it's your yearly chance to make sure your health coverage is actually working for you. In this episode, Lisa walks through five simple steps that can help you save money and avoid costly surprises, from double-checking your income to making sure your doctor is still in network. Plus, an Arizona-specific look at reduced or even free insulin costs and chronic condition coverage. Whether you're renewing or shopping for the first time, this episode will help you head into open enrollment feeling confident, informed, and ready to make the most of it.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Medicare's 2027 Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. This is your window each year to review and change your Medicare coverage for 2027. 

In this episode of Health Insurance Sherpa, Lisa Martin talks with Medicare Mike about what AEP is, what's changing with Part D drug plans next year (a higher deductible, a new out-of-pocket max, and shifting insurer subsidies), and what to actually do before the window closes - including what to look for in your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC).       

We're in this together, one conversation at a time. 

Questions? Reach Lisa at 602-852-5215 or [email protected], and Mike at (480) 229-3715 or [email protected].

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Open Enrollment 2027 is coming, and your Sherpa has the map. In this episode, Lisa breaks down exactly what you need to close out 2026 right and walk into 2027 prepared: key dates, new Marketplace verification steps, and why some clients may need to actively re-enroll this year instead of coverage renewing automatically. Whether you're a returning client or applying for the first time, you'll get a clear checklist and a clear plan — because with the right guide, Open Enrollment doesn't have to be complicated. This is the first in a series of Open Enrollment episodes, so stay tuned as more timely updates become available. We'll navigate this together, one conversation at a time!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everyone tells you short-term health insurance is "cheap coverage." Almost no one tells you what that price actually buys — or what it quietly leaves out.          

In this episode, I sit down with Kim Anderson of Black Gould / Warner Pacific to pull back the curtain on short-term plans: what they really cover, where the gaps hide, and why 2026's ACA premium shock has more people asking about them than ever. We get into the pre-existing condition loophole most people don't find out about until they file a claim, and the handful of situations where a short-term plan genuinely makes sense — versus the ones where it could leave you exposed.                 

If you've ever wondered whether "cheaper" health insurance is actually a good deal...this episode is for you.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Life changes fast—and your health insurance options may change too. In this episode, Lisa breaks down qualifying life events, Special Enrollment Periods, and the key steps to take after a marriage, new baby, move, job change, or loss of coverage.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.