Dear fellow community members and readers of the Dallas Vietnamese Weekly,

In earlier issues, Charlie went through the changes in immigration policy and some of the benefit programs that affect immigrants and their sponsors. Now that October has arrived, there are two matters close to every family’s life that deserve our attention: health insurance, and the midterm election on November 3, 2026.

In this article, Charlie wants to start with health insurance, since it is a practical issue for every family. Then we will take up a broader question: how are health policies decided, and why does each person’s vote connect to those policies?

First, why should we review our health plan every year?

Many people have the habit of saying, “My family used this plan last year and it was fine, so I’ll just keep it this year.”

In reality, it is not that simple. Health insurance should not be something you buy once and leave untouched for many years. So how can a plan change?

When comparing plans, many people look only at the “premium,” the amount paid each month. But the premium is only one part of the bigger picture. A plan with a low monthly premium sometimes has fairly high out-of-pocket costs when you actually get care. Conversely, a plan with a higher monthly premium may offer benefits that suit someone who needs frequent medical care. In addition, in the United States, insurance companies often hold ownership stakes in pharmaceutical companies and in healthcare providers or hospitals. This is how these organizations link together into a complete in-network system, from hospitals and pharmacies to doctors. So every year, when insurers restructure their investment portfolios, plans can change:

• The list of doctors and hospitals in the plan’s network,
• The list of drugs the plan covers;
• The deductible, the amount you pay before insurance begins to pay;
• Copayments or coinsurance,
• The out-of-pocket maximum for the year, after which the insurer pays the rest; and other benefits.

Some people ask: which plan is best? For health insurance in the United States, you can start with a simple division: people under 65 and people 65 and older.

For people under 65 who are working, many can get health coverage for themselves and their family through their employer. If the employer does not offer insurance, or the family has no suitable plan through work, many people can buy insurance on a marketplace called the Health Insurance Marketplace, commonly known through the website Healthcare.gov, as established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or “Obamacare” in everyday terms. For this program, the important thing is not to find the plan with the lowest monthly premium, but to look carefully at the total costs and benefits.

You can also research on your own, or ask a licensed insurance agent to explain the programs you are eligible for.

For people 65 and older, this is when you move to Medicare.

Medicare has many parts and many ways to enroll. So if you or a family member has reached the age of Medicare eligibility, you need to understand the basic concepts before signing up for any plan. There are three concepts you need to understand:

First, Original Medicare, which includes these main parts:

• Part A covers hospital care and certain health care services.
• Part B covers doctors, medical equipment, and certain tests and treatments.
• Part D covers prescription drugs.

Many people do not realize that Original Medicare does not pay for all medical costs; a patient can still owe a considerable amount if they receive a huge treatment bill.

For that reason, some people look for a second kind of insurance called Medigap.

Medigap is supplemental insurance for people who use Original Medicare. The purpose of Medigap is to help pay some of the costs that Original Medicare does not cover, depending on the plan you choose. Put simply: Original Medicare is the foundation; Medigap is used to cover part of the remaining costs, and the insured can still use the full medical benefits of Medicare.

Third, another option besides Medigap is Medicare Advantage, also called Part C.

This is a program offered by private insurance companies to people who are eligible for Medicare. Depending on the plan, members may have to stay within a specific network of doctors and hospitals, with its own conditions and benefits.

The key point is that Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare are not two names for the same program, but different ways for beneficiaries to receive their health coverage.

In short, before choosing a health plan, you need to know your own health condition and what medical care you will likely need. Here are some basic questions you can ask yourself and discuss with your insurance agent:

• Do my doctors, hospitals, or clinics that I usually visit accept the plan I’m about to join?
• Do I need a referral from my primary care doctor to see a specialist?
• How are the drugs I take covered by the plan?
• What costs will I pay during the year?
• And in case of serious illness, what is the most I might have to pay out of pocket in a year for treatment?

There is no single insurance program that fits everyone. What matters is that everyone understands their own needs, recognizes the differences between plans, and makes sure their rights are protected before deciding to enroll.

At this point, we can ask a broader question. Why are changes in insurance connected to politics?

Because Medicare, the Marketplace, insurance subsidies, drug prices, how the government spends its budget on health assistance, and many other issues are all shaped by laws and by decisions of Congress and the federal government.

According to a document released in January 2026, the White House called on Congress to pass a program called the Great Healthcare Plan, with proposals on drug price transparency, insurance subsidies, and giving people more choice in using health programs. However, according to published information, as of late September 2026 it was still a proposal awaiting consideration by Congress, not a law in effect. That is why the result of the upcoming midterm election on November 3 could have a major impact on your insurance and financial planning for years to come.

On November 3, 2026, American voters will take part in the midterm election to elect the entire U.S. House of Representatives, part of the Senate, and many state offices and legislative seats. In Texas, the election also includes the office of Governor and many state legislative seats.

The people who are elected will have a role in deciding or influencing policies that may relate to Medicare, Medicaid, the Marketplace, drug prices, health insurance, and the government budget.

So when evaluating a candidate, instead of only listening to catchy slogans, voters can also ask:

• What change is the candidate proposing?
• Is that proposal within the authority of the office they are running for?
• How much will the policy cost, and where will the money come from?
• Who will benefit?
• Who will bear additional costs?
• Does the candidate have a concrete plan, or just a slogan?

These are questions every voter has the right to look into and decide for themselves. Our memory of fleeing Communism lets us recognize right away anyone trying to sell a socialist paradise to the people with the promise of a “free lunch for everyone.” We will not let those sugar-coated poisoned pills turn this land of freedom into a socialist regime under another name.

In a free society, people have the right to disagree about policy. Those differences are a normal part of American political life.

That is also why Charlie wrote this week’s column. The purpose is not to tell you which insurance program to buy, nor to suggest which candidate to vote for. The ultimate purpose is to provide basic information so that each family can learn on its own, protect its interests, ask the right questions, and make its own final decision.

If you have questions about insurance, or about the issues presented in this article, please send them to the newspaper or email [email protected].

Wishing you peace, and wisdom in choosing your insurance as well as in the important decisions of life.

Charlie Nhan Tran, MBA

References

Kaiser Family Foundation – information on the 2026 ACA Marketplace.

Medicare.gov

Whitehouse.gov – Fact Sheet on the Great Healthcare Plan, January 15, 2026.