Obamacare allows you to delay paying your premium for 3 months when you sign up. The enrollee will show up on the insurance web site as being active, and can seek health care. If a health care provider delivers any health care within the first month, the insurance company will be responsible for paying their portion of the bill. If this occurs during the second or third month, and the premium is not paid, the insurance company will either not pay, or demand a refund from the provider. Fortunately, in Texas, we are able to determine whether the premium has been paid and withhold nonessential care. Many states will not reveal this information, so often the health care provider will not be paid for their services. Of course, the provider can bill the patient, but if they haven’t paid their premium, how likely are they to pay the provider?