Ask ten people what health insurance costs per month and you’ll get ten honest answers, because there are really five different markets. Through a job, the average worker pays about $139 a month for themselves and $623 for a family. Buying your own plan, the benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old averaged $625 a month this year before any tax credit, and more than twice that at 60. COBRA can pass $2,400 a month for a family. Medicare starts at $202.90 a month for Part B alone.
The “best” plan is the one with the lowest total cost for the care you’ll actually use, from an insurer your doctors accept. This guide shows what people really pay in each situation, how the big insurers compare on satisfaction, the cheapest legal ways to get covered, why short-term “one month” plans are cheap, and the income cliff that can add nearly $1,000 a month to an older enrollee’s bill. Open enrollment for next year’s marketplace plans starts November 1, and insurers have asked for another 15% median increase.
Nine Straight Answers About Monthly Premiums
The questions people ask when a job ends, a birthday changes their rate, or a renewal letter lands. Short answers first; details below.
Through work, the full premium averages about $817 for one person and $2,359 for a family, but workers pay only about $139 and $623 of it. Marketplace enrollees paid an average of $178 a month this year after tax credits.
Before any tax credit, a benchmark silver plan averaged about $489 at age 21, $625 at 40 and $1,327 at 60 this year. With a credit, a single person earning $40,000 would pay about $290 for that plan next year.
By size, UnitedHealthcare, Elevance Health (Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield) and Aetna, with the independent Blue Cross Blue Shield companies together covering the most people. “Best” depends on your region; J.D. Power’s satisfaction winners are mostly regional plans.
Medicaid or CHIP if you qualify, usually with no premium. Next, a bronze plan whose price is fully covered by your tax credit, which can mean a $0 premium. Catastrophic plans are the cheapest unsubsidized option for those who qualify.
It can be $0 a month. But a $0 premium usually comes with a deductible in the thousands. Next year, the most any ACA plan can make one person pay for in-network care is $12,000.
No. Every ACA plan covers the same ten essential benefits; gold and platinum plans simply make you pay less when you use them. Adult dental, vision, long-term care and cosmetic care are commonly excluded.
Yes. Marketplace insurers requested a median increase of about 15%, with several states above 20%. Tax credits rise with benchmark prices, which shields many subsidized enrollees from part of it.
Short-term plans do that, but they aren’t ACA coverage. They can turn you down, exclude pre-existing conditions and cap benefits. Losing other coverage usually gives you a 60-day window for a real marketplace plan instead.
On HealthCare.gov, November 1 to January 15; enroll by December 15 for coverage starting January 1. Some state marketplaces use different dates. Medicare’s window runs October 15 to December 7.
Health Insurance Through Work: What It Costs You
About 157 million people under 65 get coverage through an employer, and it’s usually the cheapest monthly option because the employer pays most of the premium. KFF’s annual survey of nearly 2,000 employers, released October 22, is the benchmark.
Family premiums rose 5% this year to an average of $28,303 a year, but the worker’s share rose almost twice as fast, up 9% to $7,471, while wages grew 3.7%. That gap is the trend to watch: employers are absorbing less of each increase, and among large firms offering coverage, 44% raised workers’ share of premiums. When we divided the annual figures into months, the family contribution came to about $623, roughly a car payment, before a single doctor visit.
The premium is only part of what you pay. The average deductible for single coverage was $1,955, close to last year’s $1,886. A low premium with a high deductible can cost more over a year than a pricier plan if you use a lot of care, so compare plans on total yearly cost, not the paycheck deduction alone.
If you work at a small company, expect higher costs on both fronts. Small-firm workers pay about $9,687 a year toward family coverage versus $6,840 at larger firms, and more than half of small-firm workers with single coverage have a deductible of $2,000 or more.
If your employer offers coverage that counts as affordable, you can’t get a marketplace tax credit, even if a marketplace plan would be cheaper for you. For plan years starting next year, employee-only coverage counts as affordable if it costs no more than 10.22% of household income, up from 9.96% this year. Family members are judged separately: if covering your spouse and kids costs more than 10.22% of income, they may qualify for marketplace help even though you don’t.
The Best Health Insurance Companies, and How to Judge “Best”
There’s no national champion. Health insurance is sold and priced county by county, and the same brand can run a great network in one state and a thin one next door. Here’s what the satisfaction data actually shows, and which big names are changing course next year.
J.D. Power ranks commercial health plans by region, not nationally, and the winners are usually local or regional insurers. This year, CDPHP topped New York for a sixth straight year and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan led Michigan for a third, while Kaiser Permanente has long dominated several of its regions. In J.D. Power’s separate digital-experience study, Cigna ranked first among commercial plans for its app and website, followed by Premera Blue Cross and UnitedHealthcare.
When we compared those rankings against the marketplace changes insurers have announced, one thing stood out: a top score doesn’t guarantee the company sells plans to individuals. Cigna, the digital-experience leader, is leaving the ACA marketplace in all 11 states where it sells individual plans next year. If you buy your own coverage, the “best” insurer is one that’s actually offered in your county with your doctors in network.
| Insurer | Where you’ll meet it | Quality or satisfaction signal | Next year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield companies (incl. Anthem, Florida Blue) | Job plans and the marketplace in nearly every state | Several regional J.D. Power leaders, such as BCBS of Michigan | Usually the broadest local networks |
| UnitedHealthcare | Job plans nationwide; marketplace in many states | Third in J.D. Power’s commercial digital study | Leaving the Georgia marketplace; expanding in Indiana |
| Kaiser Permanente | California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Mid-Atlantic, Northwest | Long-running regional satisfaction leader | Integrated care; limited out-of-area coverage |
| Ambetter (Centene) | Marketplace plans in many states | Check HealthCare.gov star ratings locally | Adding 55 counties; leaving Delaware and New Hampshire |
| Oscar Health | Marketplace plans in selected states | App-focused; check local star ratings | New partnership plans in parts of Missouri |
| Cigna Healthcare | Job-based plans | First in J.D. Power’s commercial digital study | Leaving the ACA marketplace in all 11 states |
| Aetna (CVS Health) | Job-based plans and Medicare | Large national network | Already left the marketplace this year |
Look up your doctors, hospital and prescriptions in each plan’s directory and formulary. Check the plan’s quality star rating, which HealthCare.gov shows on many plans, or Medicare’s star ratings if you’re 65 or older. Look up the insurer’s complaint record with your state insurance department. And if your insurer is leaving your market, you’ll get a notice; pick a new plan by December 15 so there’s no gap.
Buying Your Own Plan: Marketplace Prices by Age and Income
If you’re self-employed, between jobs, retired early or your employer doesn’t offer coverage, you’ll likely shop the ACA marketplace. Two things set your price more than anything else: your age and your income.
Federal rules let insurers vary marketplace prices by only four things: age (up to a 3-to-1 ratio for adults), location, family size, and tobacco use (a surcharge of up to 50% in most states). They can’t charge more for health conditions, and every plan covers the same essential benefits. The benchmark plan, the second-cheapest silver plan in your area, matters because tax credits are built around it. Its national average for a 40-year-old jumped from $497 last year to $625 this year, according to the Commonwealth Fund.
Metal levels: what “covers everything” really means
Every ACA plan covers the same ten categories of essential benefits, including hospital care, prescriptions, maternity, mental health and preventive care. The metal level only changes how you and the plan split the bill.
So when people ask for “the best health insurance that covers everything,” the honest answer is a gold or platinum plan with your doctors in network, not a different kind of coverage. What ACA plans commonly leave out: adult dental and vision, long-term care, cosmetic procedures, and, in many plans, weight-loss drugs and fertility treatment. If those matter to you, read the plan’s Summary of Benefits and Coverage before enrolling.
What the tax credit does to your price
Most marketplace shoppers don’t pay the sticker price. The credit works backward from your income: the government sets the share of income you should pay for the benchmark plan and covers the rest. You can then apply that credit to any metal level. For next year, these are the shares, from the IRS’s indexing update in July.
| Income, % of poverty level | Single person (annual) | Family of four (annual) | You pay toward benchmark, next year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 133% | Under $21,227 | Under $43,890 | 2.15% of income |
| 133% to 150% | $21,227–$23,940 | $43,890–$49,500 | 3.23%–4.30% |
| 150% to 200% | $23,940–$31,920 | $49,500–$66,000 | 4.30%–6.78% |
| 200% to 250% | $31,920–$39,900 | $66,000–$82,500 | 6.78%–8.66% |
| 250% to 300% | $39,900–$47,880 | $82,500–$99,000 | 8.66%–10.22% |
| 300% to 400% | $47,880–$63,840 | $99,000–$132,000 | 10.22% |
| Over 400% | Over $63,840 | Over $132,000 | No tax credit |
Income thresholds use the poverty guidelines that apply to next year’s coverage, for the 48 contiguous states and DC; Alaska and Hawaii are higher. In states that expanded Medicaid, adults under 138% of the poverty level usually qualify for Medicaid instead.
That example shows what happened to a middle-income household that kept the same plan. This year’s jump came mainly from the expired enhanced credits; on average, enrollees’ payments after credits rose 58%, from $113 to $178 a month. Next year’s rise comes from higher underlying premiums. Insurers cite a medical cost trend of about 10%, wider use of expensive drugs, and a sicker pool of enrollees after healthier people dropped coverage. Several states will see more than 20%: Arizona’s finalized average is 27.9%, and Alabama, New Mexico, Montana, Washington and Oregon all landed above 21%.
The Cheapest Health Insurance, and the Real Minimum Cost
The lowest monthly price you can legally pay for real coverage is $0, and millions of people do. Which $0 option you can get depends on income, age and where you live.
| Option | Who can get it | Typical monthly premium | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicaid | Adults up to 138% of poverty level in 40 states plus DC; other groups everywhere | Usually $0 | Renewal paperwork; work rules arrive in 2027 |
| CHIP | Children in families above Medicaid limits | $0 to low | Income limits vary by state |
| Bronze plan with tax credit | Marketplace enrollees with income 100%–400% of poverty level | Often $0 to low | Deductibles commonly several thousand dollars |
| Parent’s plan | Adult children under 26 | Parent’s added cost | Ends at 26; network is the parent’s |
| Catastrophic plan | Under 30, or a hardship exemption, including income below 100% or above 250% of poverty level | Lowest unsubsidized ACA price | Tax credits can’t be used; very high deductible |
| Short-term plan | Anyone the insurer accepts, where the state allows | Often low | Not ACA coverage; can exclude conditions |
Two changes make catastrophic plans more relevant than they used to be. First, federal rules finalized this year let people of any age qualify through a hardship exemption if their income is below 100% or above 250% of the poverty level, which makes them ineligible for tax credits or cost-sharing help, and this now applies in every state. You still have to apply for the exemption through the marketplace, and parts of the rule face a court challenge, so confirm your eligibility on HealthCare.gov. Second, since January, all marketplace bronze and catastrophic plans count as HSA-eligible, so you can pair the low premium with tax-free savings for the deductible.
A word on $0 premiums: a plan costing nothing per month isn’t free. When we lined up bronze and silver plans for a typical subsidized enrollee, the $0 bronze option carried a deductible several thousand dollars higher. Average marketplace deductibles climbed 37% this year to a record $3,786 per person as people moved to cheaper plans. If your income is under 250% of the poverty level, a silver plan’s built-in discounts often beat a free bronze plan the first time you need real care.
The Monthly Premium Is Only Half the Bill
A plan with a low monthly price can be the expensive choice once you actually see a doctor. Before you compare premiums, know the four other numbers on every plan.
| Cost | What it means | Where to find it | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deductible | What you pay for most care before the plan starts sharing costs | Plan summary, first page | Marketplace average hit $3,786 this year |
| Copay | Flat fee for a visit or prescription | Summary of Benefits and Coverage | Some plans apply copays before the deductible |
| Coinsurance | Your percentage of a bill after the deductible | Summary of Benefits and Coverage | 20% of a $30,000 hospital stay is $6,000 |
| Out-of-pocket maximum | The most you pay for covered in-network care in a year | Plan summary | Federal cap: $10,600 this year, $12,000 next year for one person |
| Network | Which doctors and hospitals count as in-network | Provider directory | Out-of-network care may not count toward the cap |
Next year’s federal limit on in-network out-of-pocket spending rises to $12,000 for one person and $24,000 for a family, up $1,400 and $2,800, the largest one-year jump in more than a decade. That’s the worst case on any ACA plan, and it’s worth knowing before you choose.
A simple way to compare plans is to price two scenarios for each one. First, a quiet year: twelve months of premiums plus a few visits and prescriptions. Second, a bad year: twelve months of premiums plus the out-of-pocket maximum. When we ran that math on sample plans, the cheaper-premium plan almost always won the quiet year, while the bad-year gap depended mostly on each plan’s out-of-pocket maximum. If you take regular medications, have a planned surgery or a baby on the way, run the bad-year math before choosing on price.
Then check the network. A plan that excludes the hospital you’d actually use, or your current doctors, turns a low premium into a false economy. The marketplace’s plan browser lets you filter by doctor and prescription, and that ten-minute check is the step most people skip.
Marketplace Premium Estimator for Next Year
Enter your household and expected income. The tool estimates your tax credit and what you’d pay each month for a benchmark silver plan, using next year’s IRS percentages and poverty guidelines.
Estimate only. The auto-filled benchmark is this year’s national average for that age plus about 15%; your area’s real price appears on HealthCare.gov from November 1.
We set the defaults to a single 40-year-old earning $45,000, about 282% of the poverty level. That person would be expected to pay about 9.7% of income, roughly $362 a month, for the benchmark plan, with a tax credit covering the rest of an estimated $719 price. Now type 64000 into the income box and watch the credit vanish. Change the age to 60 at the same income and the full price roughly doubles. Those two moves are the heart of the next section. For a family, switch auto-fill off and enter the benchmark price HealthCare.gov shows for everyone covered.
The 400% Subsidy Cliff Is Back
From 2021 through last year, nobody buying marketplace coverage had to pay more than 8.5% of income for a benchmark plan, whatever they earned. That cap is gone. Now one dollar of income over 400% of the poverty level can erase the entire tax credit.
The cliff barely matters for a 25-year-old, whose full-price plan may cost less than 10% of income anyway. It matters enormously for people in their late 50s and early 60s, whose premiums are highest. When we ran the numbers for a single 60-year-old, crossing the line by $200 raised the yearly cost of a benchmark plan by roughly $11,800. For a couple in their early 60s, or in an expensive state, the gap can be larger still.
The silver lining: the cliff is based on modified adjusted gross income, which you can sometimes control. Contributions to a traditional 401(k), traditional IRA, or a health savings account lower it. So does timing: delaying a Roth conversion, spreading out capital gains, or choosing when to start a pension or Social Security can keep you under. If you’re anywhere near the line, an hour with a tax preparer before you estimate income on the application can pay for itself many times over.
Your tax credit is based on the income you estimate when you apply, then reconciled on your tax return. If your actual income comes in higher, you may owe some or all of it back; above 400% of the poverty level, you’d repay the entire credit. Report income changes to the marketplace during the year rather than waiting for April.
One-Month and Six-Month Health Insurance: Short-Term Plans Explained
Search for one-month or six-month health insurance and you’ll land on short-term plans, sold by brands such as Pivot Health and many insurers. They can cost far less than marketplace coverage. Here’s why.
The rules on how long these plans can last are in flux. A 2024 federal rule limits new short-term plans to three months, plus a one-month extension. In August of last year, federal regulators said they wouldn’t prioritize enforcing that limit while they write a new rule, so plans lasting much longer have reappeared in many states. State law still controls: a handful of states ban short-term plans outright, and others set their own limits. Check with your state insurance department before buying.
When a short-term plan makes sense: you’re healthy, you need a bridge of a few weeks or months, and you’ve already checked that you can’t get a marketplace plan through a special enrollment period. When it doesn’t: you have any ongoing condition, take regular prescriptions, might get pregnant, or would be tempted to stay on it for a year to save money. A short-term plan also doesn’t give you a special enrollment period when it ends, so read the end date carefully against the next open enrollment.
| Need | Better first option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gap of a month or two after leaving a job | Marketplace plan or COBRA | Losing job coverage opens a 60-day enrollment window; COBRA is retroactive if elected within 60 days |
| Waiting for a new employer’s coverage to start | Short-term plan, if healthy | A true short bridge is what these plans are built for |
| Six months until you turn 65 | Marketplace plan | Keeps full protection right up to Medicare |
| Missed open enrollment, no life event | Short-term plan or Medicaid/CHIP if eligible | Medicaid and CHIP take applications year-round |
| Ongoing condition or pregnancy | Marketplace, job or Medicaid coverage | Short-term plans can exclude both |
What Medicare Costs Per Month
Medicare isn’t free, even though most people don’t pay a premium for Part A hospital coverage. The monthly bill depends on the path you choose and your income.
| Part | What it covers | This year | Next year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | Hospital, skilled nursing | $0 for most people | $0 for most people |
| Part B | Doctors, outpatient care | $202.90/mo; $283 deductible | Projected about $209.50; deductible about $292 |
| Part D (standalone) | Prescription drugs | About $35 average | About $36 average, projected |
| Medicare Advantage | All-in-one private plan | About $14 average | About $12 average, projected |
| Medigap | Fills Original Medicare’s gaps | Varies by age, state, plan | Varies |
Higher-income retirees pay more for Parts B and D through income-related surcharges based on the tax return from two years earlier. If your income dropped because you retired, you can ask Social Security to use your current income instead by filing a life-changing event form. People with limited income and savings may qualify for a Medicare Savings Program that pays the Part B premium, and for Extra Help with drug costs; your State Health Insurance Assistance Program can check for free.
One more change this month: the administration announced a one-time $90 payment toward Part B for about 20.8 million people in Original Medicare. It doesn’t go to people in Medicare Advantage, those who pay income-related surcharges, or those whose premium Medicaid already pays, and it covers less than half of one month’s premium. Medicare’s own open enrollment runs through December 7, so compare plans now if your drug list or doctors changed.
Which Situation Sounds Like Yours?
Averages hide the decisions that actually move your bill. Here’s how the cost picture changes for the situations we hear about most.
You have two main choices. COBRA keeps your exact plan for up to 18 months, but at up to 102% of the full premium, about $833 a month for one person and $2,406 for a family on average. Or you can enroll in a marketplace plan within 60 days of losing coverage. If your income for the year will be lower because of the job loss, the tax credit may make a marketplace plan far cheaper. COBRA is retroactive if you elect it within its 60-day window, so some people wait to see whether they need care before paying.
The marketplace is usually your main option, and income swings make estimating hard. Two advantages: self-employed people can generally deduct health premiums from income, and a bronze plan paired with a health savings account lets you set aside up to $4,500 for yourself or $9,000 for a family next year, which also lowers the income used for your tax credit. Update your income estimate if business booms or slows midyear.
This is the group hit hardest by the return of the subsidy cliff. A 60-year-old’s benchmark plan averaged about $1,327 a month this year before credits. Plan taxable income carefully: drawing from a Roth IRA or a cash cushion instead of a traditional IRA can keep you under 400% of the poverty level. If you retired from a large employer, check for retiree coverage. Mark your 65th birthday; you’ll want Medicare in place the month you’re eligible.
Your initial Medicare enrollment window runs for seven months around your 65th birthday. Missing it without other qualifying coverage can mean a permanent late penalty on Part B. If you’re still working at a large employer, you may be able to delay Part B without penalty. Once you’re on Medicare, marketplace tax credits generally end, so cancel any marketplace plan when Medicare starts.
You can usually stay on a parent’s job-based plan until 26, even if you’re married, not a student or living elsewhere. On your own, you can buy a catastrophic plan until 30, often the lowest sticker price on the marketplace. But compare it with a bronze or silver plan after your tax credit: credits can’t be used on catastrophic plans, so a subsidized plan is often cheaper on an entry-level salary.
Children often qualify for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program at higher incomes than adults do, frequently with low or no premiums, even when the parents earn too much for adult Medicaid. Apply through the marketplace or your state Medicaid agency; one application checks both.
In the 40 states plus DC that expanded Medicaid, adults generally qualify with income up to 138% of the poverty level, about $22,025 for one person. Premiums are usually $0. Starting next year, federal law requires many expansion adults ages 19 to 64 to show about 80 hours a month of work, school, job training or volunteering, with exemptions for groups such as parents of young children, people with disabilities and caregivers. Watch for state notices and respond quickly; missing paperwork is the most common reason people lose coverage.
Twelve insurers have announced full or partial marketplace exits for next year, including Cigna nationwide, Baylor Scott & White in Texas and UnitedHealthcare in Georgia. You should get a notice. If you do nothing, the marketplace may move you to a similar plan, which may not include your doctors. Shop before December 15 and choose for yourself.
Most states let marketplace insurers add a tobacco surcharge of up to 50%, and the tax credit doesn’t cover it. For a 50-year-old, that can mean hundreds of dollars a month. Some insurers drop the surcharge if you join a cessation program; ask before you enroll.
Eligibility for marketplace tax credits narrows next year to lawful permanent residents, certain Cuban and Haitian entrants, and people from the Compact of Free Association nations. If your status falls outside those groups, ask a navigator to review your options before open enrollment ends.
Seven Ways to Pay Less Each Month
Some of these take five minutes. A couple can save you thousands a year.
Come back to the marketplace every year, even if you’re auto-renewed
Benchmark plans change, and so do insurers. If your plan is no longer the cheapest or second-cheapest silver option, your tax credit may cover less of it next year. Window-shop before December 15 and switch if a comparable plan costs less.
Estimate income carefully, and lower it legally if you’re near a line
Retirement and HSA contributions reduce the income used for tax credits. Near the 400% line, that can be worth more than any plan comparison.
Pick silver if your income is under 250% of the poverty level
Only silver plans come with cost-sharing reductions, which lower deductibles and copays at those incomes. A cheaper bronze plan can cost you far more when you use care.
Consider bronze plus an HSA if you’re healthy and have savings
Bronze premiums are the lowest, and all bronze and catastrophic marketplace plans now pair with a health savings account. You trade a low monthly bill for a high deductible, so keep enough cash to cover it.
Compare your job’s family coverage with the marketplace
If adding your family at work costs more than 10.22% of household income, your spouse and children may qualify for marketplace tax credits on their own.
Check state help
Several states, including California, Maryland, New Jersey and New Mexico, add their own subsidies on top of federal ones, and some run reinsurance programs that hold down full prices. Your state marketplace applies them automatically.
Get free, unbiased help
Marketplace navigators, and for Medicare the State Health Insurance Assistance Programs, help for free with no sales commission. Find navigators through HealthCare.gov’s local help search or the map locator below.
When Something Goes Wrong
Most coverage problems fall into a few patterns, and nearly all of them have a fix if you act within the deadlines.
| What happened | Likely reason | Do this first | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renewal notice shows a much higher price | Higher premium or a changed benchmark plan | Window-shop before December 15 | Switch to a lower-cost plan at the same metal level |
| Plan discontinued for next year | Insurer leaving your area | Pick a new plan before December 15 | Otherwise you may be auto-assigned |
| Enrolled in a plan you didn’t choose | Unauthorized switch by an agent | Call the marketplace at 1-800-318-2596 | Report the agent; CMS is canceling improper enrollments |
| Missed open enrollment | No qualifying event | Check for a life event in the last 60 days | Medicaid and CHIP accept applications year-round |
| Owe back tax credit at tax time | Income came in higher than estimated | Review Form 8962 with a preparer | Update estimates midyear going forward |
| Lost Medicaid unexpectedly | Missed renewal or work-rule paperwork | Contact your state Medicaid office immediately | Apply for a marketplace plan within 60 days |
| Claim denied | Coverage rule or paperwork | Request an internal appeal in writing | External review is available for ACA plans |
Bing Map Locator: Free Enrollment Help Near You
Choose the kind of help you want, then open Bing Maps centered on your location. If you share your location, it’s used only to build the map link and isn’t stored or sent anywhere else.
Our Verdict
Job-based coverage is almost always the cheapest monthly option, averaging $139 for you alone and $623 for a family. Still check the deductible, and if family coverage costs more than 10.22% of household income, price the marketplace for your spouse and kids.
Shop between November 1 and December 15, and come back every year. The best plan is the lowest total cost with your doctors in network from an insurer staying in your county. Under 400% of the poverty level, your benchmark payment is capped at a share of income; over it, full prices run from about $560 to well over $1,600 a month next year depending on age.
Budget about $210 a month for Part B next year, plus a drug plan or Medigap, or an Advantage plan that may add little or nothing. Enroll on time to avoid permanent penalties, and use free SHIP counseling to compare before December 7.
Questions people still ask
How much is health insurance for one person per month without a job?
Before subsidies, a benchmark silver plan averaged about $489 at age 21, $625 at 40 and $1,327 at 60 this year, with prices expected to rise about 15% next year. With a tax credit, a single person earning $40,000 would pay about $290 a month for a benchmark plan next year.
How much is family health insurance per month?
Through work, the average family pays about $623 a month toward a $2,359 premium. On the marketplace, it depends heavily on the parents’ ages and household income; children may qualify for CHIP.
Which health insurance company has the best customer satisfaction?
It depends on where you live. J.D. Power ranks plans in 22 regions, and the winners are often regional plans such as Kaiser Permanente, CDPHP in New York or Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. For marketplace plans, check the star ratings on HealthCare.gov.
Why is health insurance so expensive?
Rising hospital and physician prices, more use of costly drugs, and, in the individual market, a sicker pool of enrollees after subsidies shrank. Insurers cited a medical cost trend of about 10% in next year’s filings.
Can I change plans outside open enrollment?
Only with a qualifying life event, such as losing coverage, moving, marrying or having a baby, which opens a 60-day window. Medicaid and CHIP accept applications any time.
Is a $0 premium plan a good deal?
It can be, if the deductible and network work for you. A $0 bronze plan usually has a high deductible; if you expect to need care, a silver plan with cost-sharing help may cost less overall.
Do I pay a penalty for not having health insurance?
There’s no federal penalty, but a few states, including California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and DC, charge their own.
Does health insurance cost more if I have a pre-existing condition?
Not on ACA-compliant plans. Marketplace and job-based plans can’t charge more or deny coverage because of your health history. Short-term plans aren’t bound by that rule and can price or exclude conditions.
Is it cheaper to buy health insurance directly from an insurer?
The sticker price is generally the same on or off the marketplace, but premium tax credits are available only through HealthCare.gov, your state’s marketplace or an approved partner connected to it. If you might qualify for a credit, buying elsewhere means giving it up.
Can I pause coverage to save money and restart later?
Not easily. Outside open enrollment you need a qualifying life event to sign up again, and voluntarily dropping coverage doesn’t count. A gap can leave you paying full price for any care you need in the meantime.
How this page was checked. Employer premiums, contributions and deductibles come from KFF’s Employer Health Benefits Survey published October 22. Marketplace payments, deductibles and premium-change figures come from KFF, the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker and the Commonwealth Fund; next year’s increases from insurer rate filings compiled through October. Satisfaction findings come from J.D. Power’s commercial member and digital experience studies. Tax credit percentages come from the IRS’s indexing update for next year; income thresholds from HHS poverty guidelines; out-of-pocket and HSA limits from CMS and the IRS. Medicare figures come from CMS and the Medicare trustees’ projections. Insurer exits come from company and state announcements. Age-based prices, the estimator and charts are our own calculations.
This page is independent and not affiliated with any insurer, broker or government agency. It is general information, not insurance, tax or legal advice. Prices shown during enrollment are the final word.
Key sources: KFF · Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · IRS · U.S. Department of Health and Human Services · J.D. Power
I’m in Mobile, Alabama, and I currently have the BC/BS Blue Advantage Premier Medicare Advantage plan, for which I pay $163 a month. BC/BS is discontinuing this plan, so I signed up for the Aetna Signature Plus plan at $0 a month. However, no one has explained the plan differences or potential disadvantages to me.
Great question, and you’re right that a $0 premium doesn’t tell the whole story. Based on the 2026 Premier summary and Aetna’s 2027 details for Signature Plus (PPO) H5521-116:
What you gain with Aetna: You save $163 a month (about $1,956 a year). You also get better dental ($2,000 vs. $1,000), eyewear ($400 vs. $100) and hearing aid allowances.
What you give up:
In a healthy year, Aetna likely saves you money. In a year with major medical bills, it could cost you about $2,300 more.
Before January, please:
You still have time to change. Because your plan is ending, you can pick a different plan through February 28. You may also qualify to buy a Medigap supplement without answering health questions.
For free, unbiased help, call Alabama SHIP at 1-800-243-5463.