North Dakota Navigator 2024

Health insurance can be confusing, overwhelming, and expensive.

You may have heard of Medicaid, Medicare, the Health Insurance Marketplace (or just Marketplace), Indian Health Services (IHS), or name-brand insurance carriers. But most people don’t know the difference between them. How does a family know if they can get Medicaid or Medicare? What even is the Marketplace? Is it cheaper than other plans?

There are so many different kinds of insurance out there, it’s hard to sort through everything. Our Navigator team has spent the last few years training and researching all the different options so that you don’t have to. The best part is, we’re paid for by federal grant dollars. So we will never SELL you anything. The plan you sign up for should be the best coverage for your and your family, period. We have no bias towards you getting Medicaid, private plans, Marketplace or any other coverage. We just help you find something affordable that will provide the health care you need. AND we can help you through all the paperwork to get signed up.

What if you’ve never understood how health insurance works at all? Why do I need it? Do I really have to pay a full deductible before it helps me pay my bill?

We can explain all of that, too, even if you already have a plan. We want everyone to have a coverage, but also know how to use its full potential. Everyone deserves affordable healthcare and we want to help remove as many barriers as we can. For additional information on how health insurance works, visit our Health Literacy page.

Why should I have health coverage?

With health insurance you can go to a doctor without worrying about paying full price for your medical bills. Most plans offer free preventive care such as annual checkups, age-based screenings, certain vaccines, and mental health services, but other coverage can vary by plan. You may not be sure if a private plan is going to cover your healthcare needs.

Health insurance coverage can come from a variety of sources, including: your employer, private insurance companies, the Marketplace, Medicare, Medicaid, or Children’s Health Insurance Plans (CHIP). Plans have different costs and cover different services. Programs such as North Dakota Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) have income limits, while Marketplace plans have eligibility rules. Even if you use IHS, having additional health insurance can help you get easier access to health care. For additional information about health insurance for American Indian/Alaska Natives, visit our Tribal page.

North Dakota Navigators can help answer health insurance questions and help you find and enroll in coverage.

Our team is trained to understand the details of all your options so that you don’t have to. We can explain confusing terms, such as coinsurance, and how they will affect your costs. We can sit right beside you and help compare plans so you can be confident in your selection. We can also assist remotely with all or part of your insurance application to work around your schedule or location.

ND Navigators are a grant-funded, local, and unbiased service. We are here to help break down some of the barriers to health by making the enrollment process easier, giving you and your family better access to essential healthcare.