Startup and student program
Transparency in Coverage files show what US health plans pay for care, so people, employers and builders can make better decisions about cost.
The files are large and hard to use. We support early teams building products on them.
Startups and students with a design partner can get up to $1,000 of free API and MCP usage. We decide on a call.
- of free usage, at our discretion
- Up to $1,000
- until program credit expires
- 12 months
- free credit on every account, separate from the program
- $5
Who can apply
You can apply if both of these are true:
- You're building a startup, or you're a student building a project.
- You have a design partner: someone who has agreed to use or test what you're building.
Eligibility is at our discretion. If you're not sure you fit, book the call and ask.
What you get
- Up to $1,000 of credit on your TiC Explorer account. The amount is set case by case.
- It pays for API and MCP requests at the prices on the pricing page.
- Program credit expires 12 months after it's added. Credit you buy yourself doesn't expire.
- It's separate from the $5 of free credit every account gets.
How it works
- Book a callPick a time with the link on this page.
- Tell us what you're buildingWho your design partner is, and how they'll use or test it.
- We decideWe typically answer on the call or shortly after, including the amount.
- Credit is addedIf approved, it shows on your account as a credit grant.
When the credit runs out
Your account moves to normal prepaid pricing; see the pricing page. At $0, requests return "payment required" until you add credit.
Your card is charged only when you buy credit or turn on auto-reload.
What we'd like to see built
- A bill checker that compares an explanation of benefits (EOB) with the plan's own negotiated rate.
- A fee-schedule check for small practices: what each insurer pays them, next to nearby practices.
- An underpayment checker that reads 835 remittance files and flags payments below the negotiated rate.
- A plan comparison helper for open enrollment, or for brokers who serve small employers.
- A rate benchmark for behavioral health services across insurers and regions.
- A reproducible extract kit for researchers and reporters, with the source file and date for every number.
Other ideas are welcome on the call.
Questions
What counts as a design partner?
Someone who has agreed to use or test what you're building: a champion, a first client or a partner organization. It needn't be an organization.
I'm a student and this is a class project. Does it count?
Yes, if someone outside your team has agreed to use or test it.
Is the amount fixed?
No. It's up to $1,000, at our discretion, based on what you're building and how you expect to use the data.
Does the program credit include the $5 free credit?
No. The $5 every account gets is separate from program credit.
I don't fit the program. Can I still ask for credit?
Yes. Book a call with the same link, or email hello@ticexplorer.com. We review these requests by hand.
Book a call about the program
Questions first? Email hello@ticexplorer.com.