Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
GEDWED WILLIAM J
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
HealthMarkets, Inc. [N/A] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President & CEO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
9151 BOULEVARD 26		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
05/08/2006
(Street)

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX 76180		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Class A-1 Common Stock               55,776.32 D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option $ 37 05/08/2006   A   69,533   05/08/2007(1) 05/08/2016 Class A-1 Common Stock 69,533 $ 37 69,533 D  
Stock Option (2) 05/08/2006   A   69,534   05/08/2007(3) 05/08/2016 Class A-1 Common Stock 69,534 (2) 69,534 D  
Stock Option $ 30.75             03/16/2006(4) 06/14/2010 Class A-1 Common Stock 100,000   100,000 D  
Stock Option $ 9             05/17/2002(4) 06/16/2006 Class A-1 Common Stock 448   448 D  
Stock Option $ 14.19             02/08/2003(4) 03/10/2007 Class A-1 Common Stock 164   164 D  
Stock Option $ 14.85             08/03/2002(4) 09/02/2006 Class A-1 Common Stock 154   154 D  
Stock Option $ 15.19             11/02/2002(4) 12/02/2006 Class A-1 Common Stock 150   150 D  
Stock Option $ 20.1             05/03/2003(4) 06/02/2007 Class A-1 Common Stock 114   114 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
GEDWED WILLIAM J
9151 BOULEVARD 26
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX 76180		   X     President & CEO  

Signatures

 William J. Gedwed By /s/ Peggy G. Simpson, POA   05/09/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The options vest in 20% increments on each of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth anniversaries of May 8, 2006
(2) The initial exercise price of the option is $37.00. The exercise price of the option will accrete by 10% per year, starting on May 8, 2008. If the optionee exercises the option prior to May 8, 2008, the exercise price will be $37.00. If the optionee exercises the option on or after May 8, 2008 but prior to May 8, 2009, the exercise price will be $40.70. If the optionee exercises the option on or after May 8, 2009 but prior to May 8, 2010, the exercise price will be $44.77. If the optionee exercises the option on or after May 8, 2010 but prior to May 8, 2011, the exercise price will be $49.25. If the optionee exercises the option on or after May 8, 2011, the exercise price will be $54.17.
(3) The option vests in different increments on each of the first five anniversaries of May 8, 2006. Twenty-five percent of the option vests on May 8, 2007. Twenty-five percent of the option vests on May 8, 2008. Seventeen percent of the option vests on May 8, 2009. Seventeen percent of the option vests on May 8, 2010. The remaining 16% of the option vests on May 8, 2011.
(4) Options vest and become exercisable in 20% annual increments on each of the first, second, third, fourth and fifth anniversaries of the grant date

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.