An inheritance and a health plan challenge:

Carrie lives in New York and is in her early 50s. After receiving an inheritance, she was no longer eligible for subsidized health care and had to find a new plan for herself and her teenage daughter.

*Carrie’s name has been changed to protect her privacy.

An inheritance pushed Carrie into a maze of health plan options 

Carrie and her daughter had been on subsidized government health care for years. An agent helped set it up, but after that it renewed automatically. She didn’t have to do anything and built trusted relationships with her doctors. When a parent passed away, she inherited some money.

“All of a sudden I was in a much different income bracket, enough to be bumped off Medicaid. After years of having that, I had to navigate the Marketplace, and I found it incredibly daunting.”

Carrie began graduate school full time to change careers, taking a gamble by living off her inheritance. But without regular work income, choosing a new health plan felt tricky. She found one that seemed cheaper than the Marketplace, but soon discovered it barely covered anything and canceled within the grace period. 

“I hate this kind of stuff. My brain just turns off. I don't want to deal with it and feel overwhelmed, not knowing if I can trust it. I’m even daunted by the government website. I’m just really resistant to it.”

Predictabill: The guidance Carrie needed to choose with ease 

Still unsure how the Marketplace worked, Carrie turned to Predictabill for help. She filled out a short questionnaire with her income, along with medical needs and doctors for both herself and her daughter. Within 10 business days, she received a dashboard with a clear recommendation. 

Carrie also chose the screensharing call. Predictabill walked her through the options and explained what deductibles and copays would mean for her day-to-day costs.

“I never felt ridiculous about not knowing anything. I just felt like, from A to Z, Predictabill helped me make the right decision.” 

Peace of mind, keeping her doctors, and affordable plans 2 years in a row 

Carrie considered a familiar big-name insurer, but a plan from the recommended lesser-known carrier felt more manageable. Predictabill confirmed all their doctors were covered on this plan, saving her countless calls and making the decision easy. 

“It just felt like, ‘Okay, even though I'm not on Medicaid anymore and paying more per month, it's all right. I'm going to manage and still see the doctors I want to see’.” 

But in the second year, her situation changed. Her daughter turned 18, which ended her free coverage, and she started college. To pay their tuition, Carrie drew more from her inheritance, raising the income her monthly insurance payment was based on. Suddenly, her plan was unaffordable, so she turned to Predictabill again. 

Finding smart solutions as their finances changed 

With her daughter’s insurance costing nearly as much as her own now, Predictabill explored alternatives. They compared university insurance with Marketplace options, and Carrie enrolled her daughter in the more affordable university plan mid-semester. 

“Predictabill isn’t biased in any way. They genuinely want to help you find the best course of action. I felt I could trust Predictabill. It was clear my best interest was the focus.” 

With her daughter covered, Carrie stayed with the same insurance company but chose a plan with lower monthly payments and a higher deductible. Knowing all her doctors were still included lifted a weight off her shoulders and, and she renewed both plans for another year. 

“Predictabill helped me make the right decision both times. It brought ease and calm knowing we both had insurance, could keep seeing our doctors, and that more was covered than I thought.”