Health Insurance: Learn the Basics to Advanced Concepts

Resources below are organized by age/skill level, from vocabulary basics through advanced financial and regulatory topics.

A note on these links: Some resources below are official U.S. government sites, some are nonpartisan nonprofit organizations, and one is a commercial insurance broker. Badges on each tile indicate the source type. TETS does not receive compensation for these links and does not endorse any specific commercial product.
1. Vocabulary -> 2. Enrolling/Comparing -> 3. Life-Stage Application -> 4. Policy & Data Literacy -> 5. Regulatory Mastery -> 6. Age-Specific Planning -> 7. Financial Optimization

Ages 6-17 - Beginner (Vocabulary)

Teen reading about health insurance basics
Nonprofit

KidsHealth: Health Insurance Basics

Plain-language intro to premiums, deductibles, co-pays, and why insurance matters -- written for teens.

Topics:
  • Core vocabulary: premium, deductible, co-pay, in/out-of-network
  • Staying on a parent's plan until 26
  • COBRA and short-term/student policies (concept level)
  • Pre-existing condition protections
Prerequisites: Grade 6-8 reading level; basic money concepts (monthly vs. one-time cost). No prior insurance knowledge needed.

Ages 18-25 - Beginner to Intermediate (Enrolling & Life-Stage)

HealthCare.gov marketplace homepage
Official (.gov)

HealthCare.gov: Young Adults

The federal Marketplace -- compare plans, check subsidy eligibility, and enroll.

Topics:
  • Open vs. special enrollment periods
  • Premium tax credits / subsidy estimation
  • Metal tiers (Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum)
  • Catastrophic plans; Medicaid/CHIP screening
Prerequisites: Core vocabulary (Stage 1); ability to estimate household income; basic digital literacy (creating an account).
Medicaid.gov homepage
Official (.gov)

Medicaid.gov

Eligibility for low/no-cost coverage: Medicaid, CHIP, and state-specific rules.

Topics:
  • Eligibility categories (income, disability, pregnancy)
  • CHIP vs. Medicaid
  • Federal Poverty Level (FPL) thresholds
  • Dual-eligibility (Medicaid + Medicare)
Prerequisites: Basic income/subsidy concepts; comfort with percentages; awareness that rules vary by state.
The Jed Foundation resource page
Nonprofit

The Jed Foundation

Practical guidance on using insurance, plus privacy (HIPAA/FERPA) when covered under a parent's plan.

Topics:
  • Finding in-network providers; reading an EOB
  • HIPAA vs. FERPA privacy mechanics
  • Requesting confidential communications from an insurer
Prerequisites: Understanding of dependent coverage (Stage 1-2 concept).
eHealth Insurance resource center
Commercial

eHealth Insurance Resource Center

Consumer-friendly guides comparing plan types, HSAs/HRAs/FSAs, and terminology.

Topics:
  • Plan-type glossary (individual, employer, Medicaid/CHIP, catastrophic)
  • HSA vs. HRA vs. FSA basics
Prerequisites: Stage 1 vocabulary; basic pre-tax vs. post-tax concept.

Ages 26-60 - Intermediate to Advanced (Policy, Regulatory, Financial)

KFF homepage
Nonprofit / Nonpartisan

KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation)

Health policy research, data, and analysis on ACA, Medicaid, and Medicare.

Topics:
  • Policy analysis (ACA, Medicaid expansion, Medicare changes)
  • Reading charts/survey data; state-by-state comparisons
  • Interactive subsidy/cost calculators
Prerequisites: Marketplace/Medicaid basics (earlier stages); data literacy; comfort with policy vocabulary.
CMS.gov homepage
Official (.gov)

CMS.gov

Federal agency running Medicare/Medicaid/Marketplace -- technical training materials and plan-design detail.

Topics:
  • HMO/PPO/EPO/POS structural differences
  • Qualified Health Plan (QHP) regulatory guidance
  • Dual-eligible / SSI-linked Medicaid rules
Prerequisites: Full command of earlier stages' vocabulary/mechanics; comfort reading technical/bureaucratic writing.
Medicare.gov homepage
Official (.gov)

Medicare.gov

Official Medicare site -- Parts A/B/C/D, enrollment deadlines, Plan Finder tool.

Topics:
  • Parts A/B/C/D and how they interact
  • Enrollment timing and late-enrollment penalties
  • Medigap comparison; Plan Finder tool
Prerequisites: Core vocabulary; premium/deductible/OOP-max concepts; basic understanding of aging into a program.
NAIC homepage
Official (state regulators)

NAIC (Insurance Commissioners)

How insurance is regulated; how to file a consumer complaint against an insurer.

Topics:
  • State regulation structure; rate approval
  • Consumer complaint/appeals process
  • Insurer licensing/solvency concepts
Prerequisites: Regulatory/legal-adjacent vocabulary; state vs. federal jurisdiction basics; prior grasp of ACA consumer rights.
Investopedia health insurance section
Commercial (media/education)

Investopedia: Health Insurance

Financial/actuarial framing -- HSA/HRA/FSA strategy and cost-benefit modeling.

Topics:
  • Actuarial premium pricing concepts
  • Breakeven analysis: high-deductible+HSA vs. low-deductible plans
Prerequisites: Basic personal finance math; full Stage 1-2 vocabulary; familiarity with HSA/HRA/FSA basics.