Vermont Health Connect

To apply for a Vermont Health Connect plan:

• Go to the Vermont Health Connect website to:
  • Find out if you qualify for Medicaid, for Dr. Dynasaur or for help paying the insurance premium or other costs
  • Find out how much help you qualify for
  • Compare the costs of each plan's monthly premium, copays and coinsurance
  • Pick a health plan and enroll online
• To get help picking the best plan for yourself and/or your family:
  • Call or meet with trained helpers called assisters
  • Call the Vermont Health Connect Customer Support Hotline: 1-855-899-9600
    • Hotline hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. 

After you enroll in a plan, you need to tell Vermont Health Connect (VHC) if your income or household size changes. You can report changes by calling the VHC Call Center at 1-855-899-9600. You can report some changes by logging in to your VHC account.

If you already have a Vermont Health Connect plan and you want to keep the same plan next year, you won't have to do anything except keep paying your premium. Your plan will be automatically renewed. In 2019, the prices for VHC silver plans increased significantly. It is a good idea for everyone to look at the Plan Comparison Tool and make sure that they are on the best plan for their household. 

Also, if your income or household size has changed, you need to give VHC your updated information. If the plan you have didn't help you get the care you need, you should look for another plan that may be better for you. 

If you want to change the plan you got through Vermont Health Connect, you can change it during open enrollment. Here's how it works:

1. Before open enrollment starts, you should get information about the cost of next year's plan in the mail. It will tell you what to do if you want to change plans. It will also tell you how to report changes in your income or household size.
2. Follow the directions for changing your plan.
3. If you want your new plan to be active on January 1, you will need to choose a new plan by December 15 and pay the premium as early in December as possible. The fastest ways to pay are online or by phone.

You can read the plan brochures and use a Plan Comparison Tool on the Vermont Health Connect website.

If You Need Help

Trained assisters can help you understand your choices and costs. You can meet with assisters in person, or you can get help over the phone.

You can also call the VHC Call Center at 1-855-899-9600.

Read more on our website to find:

• Who can apply for insurance through Vermont Health Connect
• How much income you can have and qualify for Medicaid
• Information about the different types of plans, premiums and copays
• What kind of help you may be able to get to lower the monthly premiums or cost-sharing
• Links to information and help for small businesses

Read about the topics listed in the menu of pages or visit the Vermont Health Connect Help Center to learn more about health care changes in Vermont.

A penalty was in effect from 2014 through 2018 if you did not have health insurance. There is no penalty for the 2019 tax year or later tax years. That means if you did not have health insurance starting January 2019, you do not have a tax penalty. 

Georgetown University Health Policy Institute Guide to the Private Health Insurance Marketplace

This guide was developed to help navigators answer your questions about health care reform and how the marketplace works. To use the guide, just pick the section that is right for you, then look for the chapter about the issue you have questions about. The sections are:

1. You have no insurance right now
2. You have insurance or an offer of insurance through an employer right now
3. You are a small employer
4. You are having a problem with the insurance you have