Independent health insurance help
A straight path through health insurance.
Most people pick a health plan under a deadline with bad information. Use Doug walks you through what your options actually cover and puts you in front of a licensed agent who can help you enroll.
Ask a questionWhat we help people sort out
We do not sell policies. We explain how the major categories of health coverage work so you can have a useful conversation with a licensed agent instead of a confusing one.
Medicare Advantage and Supplement
How Part C and Medigap differ, what the trade-offs are between network limits and out-of-pocket predictability, and when you are actually allowed to switch.
Medicare Part D
How prescription drug coverage is structured, why the same drug costs different amounts on different formularies, and what the late enrollment penalty really means.
Individual and family coverage
How deductibles, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximums interact, and why the cheapest premium is frequently not the cheapest plan over a full year.
Dental, vision, and hearing
What standalone ancillary plans cover, what they exclude, and when bundling through a medical plan is or is not worth it.
Short-term and gap coverage
What limited-duration products do and do not cover, including the exclusions people are most often surprised by after a claim.
Enrollment periods
Annual enrollment, open enrollment, initial enrollment, and special enrollment events. Missing a window is the most expensive avoidable mistake in this category.
How it works
Three steps, no cost to you, and no obligation to enroll in anything.
Tell us the situation
Send your question through the form below. Your age, state, current coverage, and what you are trying to solve are the details that matter most.
Get a plain answer
We reply with a direct explanation of the options that apply to your situation, in ordinary language, with the trade-offs stated honestly.
Talk to a licensed agent
If you want to move forward, we connect you with a licensed insurance agent in your state who can review specific plans and handle enrollment.
Why Doug rather than a comparison site
Most health insurance sites are built to capture a phone number as fast as possible. This one is built to answer the question you actually asked.
We say when a plan is a bad fit
If your doctor is out of network or your prescription is off the formulary, that is the first thing you should hear, not the last.
No pressure, no auto-dialing
We contact you the way you asked to be contacted. You can tell us to stop at any time and we will.
Licensed agents only
Any agent we refer you to is licensed in your state and appointed with the carriers they present to you.
Plain documentation
We point you to the official plan documents and the government sources so you can verify anything we tell you.
Common questions
If yours is not here, ask it in the form.
Does this cost anything?
No. There is no charge to use this site or to be connected with a licensed agent. Agents are compensated by the insurance carriers they represent, which does not change the premium you pay for a given plan.
Are you a government program?
No. Use Doug is a private, independently operated website. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Medicare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Social Security Administration, HealthCare.gov, or any state or federal exchange.
Do you sell insurance?
No. We do not underwrite, issue, bind, or sell insurance, and we do not provide quotes. We provide general information and, if you ask us to, refer you to licensed insurance agents or agencies.
Will you sell my information?
We do not sell personal information for money. If you submit a request, we share what you send with one or more licensed agents or agencies so they can respond to you. That is a business purpose disclosure, and depending on your state it may be treated as a “sale” or “share” under privacy law. You can opt out at any time on our Do Not Sell My Info page.
Do you have every plan available in my area?
No. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to the plans and carriers the agents we work with are appointed to sell. To review every option available to you, contact Medicare.gov, HealthCare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program.
How do I stop being contacted?
Reply STOP to any text, tell the caller to place you on their do-not-call list, or email hello@usedoug.com with the phone number and email address you want removed. We honor removal requests promptly.
Ask your question
Tell us what you are trying to figure out. There is no cost and no obligation to enroll in any plan.