Health insurance cost · 2026
How much health insurance costs per month in 2026: the public benchmark, and what 2,582 of our clients actually paid
Every cost guide shows the same government averages. This one adds the prices real households chose with us, by state and by kind of plan, read from our own sales records on October 14, 2026. Educational only, not a quote.
The short answer
In 2026 the benchmark Marketplace plan for a 40-year-old costs $625 a month before tax creditsSource 1, the average person who picked a Marketplace plan pays $178 a month after the creditSource 2, and half of the 2,582 households who bought a plan through America First Healthcare since Jul 1, 2026 pay $225 a month or less. A quarter pay $140 or less, and a quarter pay $393 or more.
| What | Monthly | Who it describes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketplace benchmark, age 40, before credit | $625 | Second-lowest-cost silver plan, national average | KFF, 2026 |
| Average Marketplace premium, before credit | $741 | 23.1 million people who picked a plan | CMS, 2026 |
| Average Marketplace premium, after credit | $178 | Same people, after the advance tax credit | CMS, 2026 |
| America First Healthcare clients, median | $225 | 2,582 priced sales, Jul 1, 2026 to Oct 13, 2026 | Our sales records, read October 14, 2026 |
| America First Healthcare clients, lower and upper quarter | $140 and $393 | A quarter pay less than the first; a quarter pay more than the second | Our sales records |
The gap between $741 and $178 is the premium tax credit, which depends on income. The gap between the benchmark and what our clients pay is mostly the kind of plan: many of them chose plans sold outside the Marketplace, which cost less and cover differently. Both tables below show which is which.
What 2,582 of our clients paid, by state
These are the monthly prices on the applications America First Healthcare clients submitted between Jul 1, 2026 and Oct 13, 2026, in every state with at least 50 priced sales. The median is the middle price: half paid less, half paid more. The lower and upper quarter marks show the spread. All kinds of plan are counted together; the next table splits them.
| State | Priced sales | Lower quarter | Median | Upper quarter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 418 | $144 | $255 | $456 |
| Texas | 263 | $140 | $215 | $376 |
| California | 243 | $145 | $286 | $490 |
| Pennsylvania | 123 | $126 | $171 | $317 |
| Arizona | 117 | $170 | $271 | $358 |
| Georgia | 98 | $106 | $193 | $376 |
| North Carolina | 97 | $105 | $191 | $337 |
| Wisconsin | 83 | $83 | $140 | $250 |
| Ohio | 80 | $114 | $197 | $320 |
| Tennessee | 79 | $168 | $291 | $436 |
| Colorado | 78 | $91 | $169 | $335 |
| Michigan | 75 | $105 | $186 | $371 |
| Illinois | 71 | $130 | $197 | $307 |
| Missouri | 66 | $163 | $269 | $432 |
| Indiana | 58 | $166 | $201 | $340 |
| South Carolina | 55 | $166 | $212 | $357 |
| Virginia | 52 | $122 | $199 | $311 |
| All states | 2,582 | $140 | $225 | $393 |
Method: aggregates only from our sales records (submitted applications with a monthly price for the primary plan, before any tax credit). Counts, medians and quarter marks; no client, agent or carrier data is published. States with fewer than 50 priced sales are not listed. Refreshed when the read date changes.
What our clients paid, by kind of plan
The kind of plan moves the price more than the state does. The rows below cover applications for one plan; the few that listed two plans are left out. Each row carries the line you need to read before the number.
| Kind of plan | Priced sales | Lower quarter | Median | Upper quarter | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACA Marketplace plan | 56 | $98 | $161 | $265 | Marketplace plans before any premium tax credit the household received. |
| Short-term medical plan | 273 | $272 | $407 | $661 | Short-term, limited-duration insurance. Real insurance, not ACA coverage: it can decline or exclude pre-existing conditions and has no required benefit list. |
| Health care sharing program | 1,153 | $145 | $241 | $450 | Health care sharing programs are not insurance. Members share medical costs under the program's guidelines, and there is no insurance contract and no guarantee a bill will be shared. |
| All other private plans | 961 | $90 | $170 | $291 | Every other single-plan application, including plans sold outside the Marketplace. Product classes vary; ask what a plan is before you buy it. |
What each kind of plan is, who it fits and who it does not, is in private health insurance in the USA. Health care sharing programs are not insurance. Short-term and fixed indemnity plans are insurance but not ACA coverage, so they can exclude conditions and have no required benefit list. A Marketplace plan cannot do either.
The public benchmark: 2026 Marketplace premium by state
The same table every cost guide prints, with a second source next to it. KFF publishes the benchmark plan premium for a 40-year-oldSource 1; CMS publishes the average premium everyone in the state actually paid, before and after the tax creditSource 2. State-run exchanges that add their own premium help are shown without it, as CMS reports them. Each state links to its guide.
| State | Benchmark, age 40 (KFF) | Average before credit (CMS) | Average after credit (CMS) | Got a credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $645 | $743 | $126 | 91.1% |
| Alaska | $1,032 | $1,043 | $344 | 73.8% |
| Arizona | $532 | $688 | $229 | 82.7% |
| Arkansas | $774 | $839 | $162 | 86.9% |
| California | $570 | $737 | $264 | 81.9% |
| Colorado | $557 | $673 | $318 | 68.9% |
| Connecticut | $870 | $1,030 | $277 | 79% |
| Delaware | $691 | $901 | $320 | 80.7% |
| Florida | $683 | $806 | $106 | 94.6% |
| Georgia | $615 | $777 | $164 | 89.1% |
| Hawaii | $541 | $778 | $372 | 71.4% |
| Idaho | $490 | $509 | $202 | 76.5% |
| Illinois | $646 | $816 | $230 | 85.2% |
| Indiana | $474 | $623 | $222 | 83.4% |
| Iowa | $501 | $615 | $235 | 76.1% |
| Kansas | $670 | $779 | $160 | 88.7% |
| Kentucky | $590 | $797 | $288 | 80.2% |
| Louisiana | $646 | $759 | $144 | 91.2% |
| Maine | $709 | $913 | $340 | 74.5% |
| Maryland | $414 | $542 | $284 | 67.4% |
| Massachusetts | $494 | $594 | $325 | 72.4% |
| Michigan | $523 | $657 | $222 | 81.1% |
| Minnesota | $448 | $639 | $437 | 49.5% |
| Mississippi | $662 | $816 | $131 | 95.4% |
| Missouri | $605 | $724 | $173 | 86.5% |
| Montana | $692 | $729 | $230 | 77.7% |
| Nebraska | $710 | $800 | $217 | 86.5% |
| Nevada | $497 | $659 | $234 | 82.4% |
| New Hampshire | $401 | $553 | $342 | 55.7% |
| New Jersey | $545 | $734 | $277 | 82.2% |
| New Mexico | $623 | $842 | $299 | 82.3% |
| New York | $817 | $812 | $636 | 42.6% |
| North Carolina | $638 | $755 | $180 | 87.1% |
| North Dakota | $570 | $591 | $229 | 78.5% |
| Ohio | $513 | $665 | $233 | 82.6% |
| Oklahoma | $604 | $727 | $161 | 90.7% |
| Oregon | $543 | $741 | $426 | 60% |
| Pennsylvania | $572 | $742 | $251 | 79.8% |
| Rhode Island | $506 | $649 | $246 | 82.2% |
| South Carolina | $564 | $655 | $139 | 89.2% |
| South Dakota | $655 | $684 | $211 | 83.3% |
| Tennessee | $711 | $838 | $141 | 90.3% |
| Texas | $661 | $709 | $89 | 92.9% |
| Utah | $640 | $571 | $120 | 90.4% |
| Vermont | $1,299 | $1,090 | $364 | 76.9% |
| Virginia | $455 | $575 | $215 | 77.9% |
| Washington | $612 | $738 | $343 | 64.5% |
| Washington, D.C. | $610 | $815 | $725 | 18.8% |
| West Virginia | $1,073 | $1,314 | $208 | 88.9% |
| Wisconsin | $611 | $784 | $250 | 78.3% |
| Wyoming | $1,090 | $1,217 | $235 | 87.1% |
The spread is the point. The benchmark for a 40-year-old ran from $401 a month in New Hampshire to $1,299 in Vermont before any credit. For 2027, insurers proposed a median increase of 15%Source 9; final rates appear on a Marketplace application or a quote once Open Enrollment opens.
What sets an ACA premium: the five rating rules
Federal law allows a Marketplace or other ACA-compliant plan to price on five things and nothing elseSource 3. Your health, medical history or sex cannot change the premium. Plans outside the ACA rules, such as short-term and underwritten private plans, are not bound by this table.
| Factor | The rule | What it means for you | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Rates may not vary by more than 3 to 1 for adults 21 and older, on a federal age curve. | A 64-year-old can pay up to three times what a 21-year-old pays for the same plan. | 45 CFR 147.102(a)(1)(iii)Source 4 |
| Tobacco use | Rates may not vary by more than 1.5 to 1 for tobacco use. | A tobacco user can be charged up to 50% more. Some states limit or ban the surcharge. | 45 CFR 147.102(a)(1)(iv)Source 5 |
| Family coverage | The family premium is the sum of each member's premium. No more than the three oldest covered children under 21 are counted. | A fourth or fifth child under 21 adds nothing to the premium. | 45 CFR 147.102(c)(1)Source 4 |
| Location | Prices are set by rating area within the state. | Two counties in one state can price the same plan differently. The state table above shows how wide it gets. | HealthCare.govSource 3 |
| Plan category | Bronze, silver, gold and platinum split costs differently. | A lower premium means a higher deductible and more to pay when you use care. | HealthCare.govSource 3 |
The 2027 tax credit at three incomes
With a premium tax credit you do not pay the sticker price. You pay a set share of your income for the benchmark plan, and the credit covers the restSource 6. For 2027 the IRS set that share at 2.15% of income below 133% of the poverty line, rising to 10.22% between 300% and 400%Source 7. Above 400% there is no credit. The 2026 poverty guideline, which applies to 2027 coverage, is $15,960 for one personSource 8.
| Household income | Share of the poverty line | Expected share of income | You pay for the benchmark, monthly | Credit, monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 a year | 188% | 6.18% | about $155 | about $470 |
| $45,000 a year | 282% | 9.66% | about $362 | about $263 |
| $70,000 a year | 439% | no credit | about $625 | none |
Pick a cheaper plan than the benchmark and you keep the difference; pick a pricier one and you pay it. The credit is based on your income estimate for 2027, and exact prices and savings appear only on a Marketplace applicationSource 6. Near the 400% line, run your own numbers rather than a rule of thumb: one dollar over it removes the whole credit. A family of four and the employer and COBRA figures are in the full cost research note.
What America First Healthcare costs
The review is free. One scheduled call with one licensed advisor, who looks at what you have and what your household actually needs. You get the options side by side with every cost shown. If your current plan is the better deal, that is what you hear. Advisors are paid by the carrier when you enroll, not by you.
If you choose a plan, you pay the carrier or program its monthly price. Among the 2,582 households who did that with us between Jul 1, 2026 and Oct 13, 2026, a quarter pay $140 a month or less, half pay $225 or less, and a quarter pay $393 or more. Where you land depends on your state, your age, your income and the kind of plan you choose. We will tell you which kind you are looking at before you decide, including when it is a health care sharing program, which is not insurance.
Questions people ask about the monthly cost
How much is health insurance a month for one person?
Before tax credits, the 2026 benchmark Marketplace plan for a 40-year-old averaged $625 a month (KFF). After tax credits, the average Marketplace enrollee paid $178 a month (CMS). Among 2,582 America First Healthcare clients who bought a plan between Jul 1, 2026 and Oct 13, 2026, half paid $225 a month or less, and a quarter paid $140 or less. Your own number depends on your age, county, income and the kind of plan.
Is $200 a month good for health insurance?
It is below the sticker price of a Marketplace plan: the 2026 benchmark for a 40-year-old averaged $625 a month before credits (KFF). It is close to what our clients typically pay: the median across 2,582 sales since Jul 1, 2026 was $225. Whether $200 is a good price for you depends on the deductible, the network and what the plan leaves out. A cheap plan that excludes your condition is not cheap.
What does a 40-year-old pay for health insurance?
The public benchmark is built for exactly that person: $625 a month in 2026 for the second-lowest-cost silver plan, before any tax credit, averaged across the country (KFF). By state it ran from $401 in New Hampshire to $1,299 in Vermont. A 40-year-old with a tax credit pays a share of income instead, between 2.15% and 10.22% in 2027 (IRS).
Why did my premium go up in 2026, and will it go up again in 2027?
Two things happened. The enhanced premium tax credits that held the benchmark plan to 8.5% of income expired at the end of 2025, so many households pay a bigger share of the same premium. And insurers proposed a median increase of 15% for 2027 across 276 insurers in all 50 states and DC (KFF; proposed rates, not final). If your plan auto-renews, compare it with at least two others before December 15.
How much is health insurance a month without a subsidy?
The full price. For a 40-year-old, the 2026 benchmark silver plan averaged $625 a month and the cheapest bronze plan $456 (KFF). Across everyone who picked a Marketplace plan in 2026, the average premium before credits was $741 a month (CMS). Above 400% of the poverty level, $63,840 for one person in 2027, there is no credit, and that is where plans sold outside the Marketplace are worth comparing.
How much does America First Healthcare cost?
The review is free. A licensed advisor looks at what you have, compares it with Marketplace plans at your income and with plans sold outside the Marketplace, and tells you if your current plan is still the better deal. You pay nothing for that call. If you choose a plan, you pay the carrier or program its monthly price; among our clients since Jul 1, 2026, a quarter pay $140 a month or less and half pay $225 or less. Advisors are paid by the carrier when you enroll, not by you.
Can I get health insurance for $0 a month?
Some people can. In 2026, 26.9% of Marketplace enrollees paid $10 a month or less after the tax credit (CMS). That usually means a lower income and a bronze plan the credit covers in full. A $0 premium still comes with a deductible, so check what you pay when you use care.
What is the cheapest kind of health plan, and what is the catch?
Among our clients, the lowest typical prices were on plans that are not ACA coverage: health care sharing programs, which are not insurance and do not guarantee a bill will be shared, and short-term plans, which can exclude pre-existing conditions. A Marketplace plan with a tax credit can be cheaper still at a lower income. The catch is always the same: read what the plan excludes before you look at the premium.
References
- KFF, Marketplace Average Benchmark Premiums, 2026. https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/state-indicator/marketplace-average-benchmark-premiums/. Checked October 12, 2026.
- CMS, 2026 Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Public Use Files. https://www.cms.gov/data-research/statistics-trends-reports/marketplace-products/2026-marketplace-open-enrollment-period-public-use-files. Checked October 12, 2026.
- HealthCare.gov, How insurance companies set health premiums. https://www.healthcare.gov/how-plans-set-your-premiums/. Checked October 14, 2026.
- 45 CFR 147.102, Fair health insurance premiums. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/45/147.102. Checked October 14, 2026.
- CMS, Market Rating Reforms. https://www.cms.gov/cciio/programs-and-initiatives/health-insurance-market-reforms/market-rating-reforms. Checked October 14, 2026.
- HealthCare.gov, Lower costs. https://www.healthcare.gov/lower-costs/. Checked October 14, 2026.
- IRS, Rev. Proc. 2026-26 (Internal Revenue Bulletin 2026-31). https://www.irs.gov/irb/2026-31_IRB. Checked October 14, 2026.
- HHS ASPE, 2026 poverty guidelines. https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines. Checked October 12, 2026.
- KFF, How much and why ACA Marketplace premiums are going up in 2027. https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/how-much-and-why-aca-marketplace-premiums-are-going-up-in-2027/. Checked October 12, 2026.
- HealthCare.gov, Dates and deadlines. https://www.healthcare.gov/quick-guide/dates-and-deadlines/. Checked October 14, 2026.
- America First Healthcare sales records: submitted applications with a monthly price for the primary plan, Jul 1, 2026 to Oct 13, 2026, aggregates only, read October 14, 2026.
Educational only. Not medical, legal, tax or personalized insurance advice. Plans are offered and underwritten by third-party carriers; health care sharing programs are not insurance. America First Healthcare is an independent licensed insurance agency and is not the Health Insurance Marketplace. Verify any agent's license through the NIPR lookup. All states.