The Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator provides estimates of health insurance premiums and subsidies for people purchasing insurance on their own in health insurance exchanges (or “Marketplaces”) created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). With this calculator, you can enter your income, age, and family size to estimate your eligibility for subsidies and how much you could spend on health insurance. You can also use this tool to estimate your eligibility for Medicaid. As eligibility requirements may vary by state, please contact your state’s Medicaid office or Marketplace with enrollment questions. We encourage other organizations to feature the calculator on their websites using the embed instructions.
The Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator is based on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as signed into law in 2010, and subsequent regulations issued by Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Premiums displayed in the calculator’s results are based on actual exchange premiums in 2024 dollars. Premiums were obtained through data published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), data received directly from state exchanges or insurance departments, and data collected from state-based exchanges by KFF researchers. The silver premium is the second-lowest cost silver premium available in the county of the entered zip code and the bronze premium shown is the lowest-cost bronze plan in the county of the entered zip code. Not all plans are available in all parts of the county, so actual premiums may vary depending on plan availability. Premiums shown are the premium portion used for Essential Health Benefits. Actual premiums may be higher if plans include "non-essential benefits" such as dental or vision care.
The premium is adjusted for family size and age of the user. Premiums in the calculator vary by age within the three to one limit specified in the law, using age factors from proposed regulations issued by HHS (or, state specific age factors where states have adopted them). The calculator does not display a tobacco surcharge. However, in most states, insurers can charge a tobacco surcharge of up to 50% of your total premium, and tax credits do not apply to the surcharge. Actual tobacco surcharges will vary by plan and some states do not permit insurers to vary premiums by tobacco status.
The FAQs below are intended to help you understand this Calculator. More detailed questions and answers about signing up for coverage are available on our Marketplace FAQ page.
Where can I go for help understanding how the health reform law will affect me?If you have questions about how the health reform law will affect you and your insurance options, please go to HealthCare.gov, or contact their Help Center at 1-800-318-2596 if you have questions that cannot be answered on their website. You can also contact your state’s Consumer Assistance Program, Exchange, or Medicaid office with questions about eligibility and enrollment. To find help from Navigators and other certified assisters in HealthCare.gov states, click here.
KFF is not able to provide individual advice on your insurance options. However, we do provide answers to a number of frequently asked questions below, along with more detailed questions and answers in our Health Reform FAQ page.
I am having difficulty viewing or understanding my results. What should I do?
It could be that you are using an older version of Microsoft Edge or Firefox. Try updating to a newer version of your web browser. Not sure which browser version you are running? Check here for Microsoft Edge or here for Firefox. If you continue to have technical problems with the Calculator after updating your browser, please contact KFF.
Please note that we are not able to provide individual advice or assistance understanding your results. If you have additional questions, we suggest that you contact Healthcare.gov or your state’s Health Insurance Marketplace for more information.
Has the calculator been updated for 2024?
Yes, the calculator now shows premiums for 2024 in all states.
Does the calculator provide definitive results for what I will pay?
No. The calculator is intended to show you an estimate of how much you may pay and the amount of financial help you may be eligible for if you buy coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. To find out if you are eligible for financial assistance and to sign up, you must contact HealthCare.gov, your state’s Health Insurance Marketplace, or Medicaid program office.
Although the Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator is based on actual premiums for plans sold in your area, there are several reasons why your calculator results may not match your actual tax credit amount. For example, the calculator relies completely on information as you enter it, whereas the Marketplace may calculate your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) to be a different amount or may verify your income against previous year’s data.
Has the calculator been updated for the changes enacted through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ?
Yes, t he calculator estimate s how much you may pay and the amount of financial assistance you will receive under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which continued expanded amounts and eligibility for Marketplace subsidies.
How do health insurance subsidies work?
Subsidies are financial assistance from the Federal government to help you pay for health coverage or care. The amount of assistance you get is determined by your income and family size. There are two types of health insurance subsidies available through the Marketplace: the premium tax credit and the cost-sharing subsidy.
The premium tax credit helps lower your monthly premium expenses. This subsidy is available to people with family incomes 100% of the poverty level or greater who buy coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. These individuals and families will pay between 0% and 8 . 5 % of their incomes for a mid-level plan premium (the "benchmark silver plan"). Anything above that is paid by the government. The amount of your tax credit is based on the price of the benchmark silver plan in your area, but you can use your premium tax credit to purchase any Marketplace plan, including Bronze, Gold, and Platinum plans (these different types of plans are described below). You can choose to have your tax credit paid directly to the insurance company so that you pay less each month, or, you can decide to wait to get the tax credit in a lump sum when you do your taxes next year. KFF FAQs provide additional information about how premium tax credits work .
Cost-sharing subsidies (also called “cost-sharing reductions”) help you with your costs when you use health care, like going to the doctor or having a hospital stay. These subsidies are only available to people purchasing their own insurance who are eligible to receive a premium tax credit and make between 100% and 250% of the poverty level . If you qualify for a cost-sharing subsidy, you would need to sign up for a silver plan to take advantage of it. Unlike the premium tax credit (which can be used for other “metal levels”), cost-sharing subsidies only work with silver plans. With a cost-sharing subsidy, you still pay the same low monthly rate of a silver plan, but you also pay less when you go to the doctor or have a hospital stay than you otherwise would. (Enhanced cost sharing subsidies are available for Native Americans at somewhat higher income levels under any Marketplace plan.)
For more information, read the actuarial value question below. If you have more specific questions about your subsidy, you can consult our FAQ pages or contact an assister or navigator through Healthcare.gov or your state’s Marketplace.
What is included in household income? How do I know what to enter for my income?
The Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator allows you to enter household income in terms of 2024 dollars or as a percent of the Federal poverty level. Household income includes incomes of the person who pays taxes, the spouse, and , in some cases, children, known as dependents on tax returns. For the purposes of the calculator, you should enter your best guess of what your income will be in 20 24 .
When you go to HealthCare.gov or your state’s Health Insurance Marketplace website, it will walk you through the steps to calculate your household income based on wages, interest, dividends, Social Security, and certain other income sources. Eligibility for premium tax credits is based on your household’s Modified Adjusted Gross Income, or MAGI. Your most recent tax return will show your A djusted G ross I ncome (AGI) . For many people, MAGI is the same or very close to adjusted gross income. MAGI modifies your A djusted G ross I ncome by adding any non-taxable Social Security benefits you may receive, any tax-exempt interest you may earn, and any foreign income you earned that was excluded from your income for tax purposes. The calculation does not include income from gifts, inheritance , supplemental security income (SSI), and some other income sources. For more information, see here .
What is the Federal poverty level?
The Federal poverty level varies by family size. For Marketplace coverage in 2024 , the poverty level used is $14,580 for a single adult and $30,000 for a family of 4. Federal poverty level is higher for Alaska and Hawaii.
What is Medicaid? How does it relate to financial help through the Health Insurance Marketplace?
Medicaid is a comprehensive, free health insurance program (offered through a partnership between states and the Federal government) for people wh en they have limited income . Eligibility for Medicaid is based on your current income (vs eligibility for marketplace subsidies, which is based on your estimated total annual income for 2024). Medicaid programs vary from state to state, but most health care services are covered at little or no cost and no premium is charged. If you are eligible for Medicaid, then you would not be eligible for subsidies in the Marketplace and would instead need to sign up for Medicaid.
As a result of the ACA , states have the option to expand Medicaid eligibility to adults with incomes up to 138% of the poverty level. (Children in households with even higher income are eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in every state.) Currently , 41 states (including DC) have adopted the Medicaid expansion and 10 states have no t done so . If you are an adult living in a state that has not expanded Medicaid and you expect your income to be at least as high as the poverty level, then you may be eligible for subsidies through HealthCare.gov . If you expect that your income next year will be below the poverty level, then you may not be eligible for assistance through the Marketplace. However, it is possible that you may still qualify for Medicaid under your state’s eligibility criteria, particularly if your income is very limited and you have children, are pregnant, or have a disability.
The Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator takes into account whether or not your state has decided to expand Medicaid, so you can use this tool to estimate your eligibility for Medicaid. Again, keep in mind that – even if your state did not expand Medicaid – you or some members of your family may still be eligible for Medicaid. To find out if you qualify for Medicaid, contact HealthCare.gov, your state’s Marketplace, or your state’s Medicaid program office for information about eligibility and enrollment.
If I am eligible for Medicare, can I still sign up on the Marketplace?
No, you cannot sign up for new Marketplace coverage if you are eligible for Medicare. Most people age 65 and older are eligible for Medicare, which is health insurance program run by the federal government. If you are eligible for Medicare, even if you did not choose to enroll in Medicare, you would not be able to purchase Marketplace coverage.
When using the Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator, if some members of your household are eligible for Medicare and others are not, you should enter your full household size (including those who are eligible for Medicare) in Question #4. For the following question (#5), please enter only those family members who are signing up for Marketplace coverage (do not enter adults who are eligible for Medicare in Question #6).
If you are over the age of 65 but not yet eligible for Medicare due to immigration status or your work history, you may be eligible for Marketplace coverage and subsidies. You can use the Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator by entering your age as 64.
Does my age or health status affect how much I pay for health insurance?
As a result of the ACA , insurance companies cannot deny you coverage or make you pay more for your health coverage based on your health.
In most states, older people will still pay more for health insurance than a younger person. The ACA requires that people aged 64 and older can be charged no more than 3 times that of a 21-year-old. Children under age 21 have slightly lower premiums and families with more than three children under the age of 21 will be charged premiums for no more than three children.
Vermont and New York are currently the only states that prohibit age-rating; in these states, plans charge the same premium for adults regardless of age. If you live in one of these states, the Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator will calculate your premiums according to your state’s rules.
Does where I live affect how much I pay for health insurance?
Yes. The cost of health insurance (your monthly premium) varies quite a bit by state, and even within regions of a state. This is because of several factors, such as the cost of living and cost of health care services in your area.
Your premium tax credit is tied to the cost of insurance in your area. If you live in a high-cost area, you may be eligible for more financial assistance.
Premiums in the Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator are actual premiums in your area. It is possible that some plans may not be available in your particular zip code or county, though. For this reason, you may get slightly different results when you apply for subsidies through HealthCare.gov or your state’s Marketplace.
If I use tobacco, can this affect how much I pay for health insurance?
Yes, in most states, insurers can charge people who use tobacco a higher premium (this is called a “tobacco surcharge”). Currently, only six states (California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont) and the District of Columbia do not allow private health plans to charge higher premiums for people who use tobacco ; and several other states limit tobacco surcharges to less than 50%.
Under the ACA , private insurers can charge tobacco users no more than 50% more per month than those who do not use tobacco. The health law also makes clear that financial help through the Health Insurance Marketplace cannot be used to cover the portion of the premium that is due to a tobacco surcharge.
The Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator does not adjust your results based on tobacco use because tobacco surcharges vary quite a bit from plan to plan. Even in states that allow it, some insurers choose not to charge higher prices for tobacco users or charge relatively low surcharges. For this reason, the calculator warns you when you might face higher prices, but to find out your true costs, you will need to go to HealthCare.gov or your state’s Marketplace.
What are Bronze and Silver plans?
When you buy coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace you can choose between four levels of coverage: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The levels are based on how much financial protection the plans offer you when you get sick or need medical care and how much you will have to pay out-of-pocket for care subject to the plan deductible and other cost sharing.
Bronze plans will have the lowest monthly premiums, but have the highest deductibles, copayments, and other cost sharing. I f you get sick or have an accident, your share of covered medical bills that you will have to pay out-of-pocket will be higher because of the higher cost sharing. Silver plans are more protective and will have higher monthly premiums , but generally have somewhat lower deductibles and other cost sharing, meaning you would likely spend less out of pocket when you get medical care. Gold and platinum plans have the highest monthly payments, but the lowest cost sharing, leaving you with fewer additional costs to pay for covered services .
The Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator shows the cost of silver and bronze plans in your area. Silver plans are important because these are used as a “benchmark” for calculating how much assistance you are eligible for. The silver premium shown in the calculator is the second-lowest-cost silver plan in your area.
The Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator will also show you the price of the lowest-cost bronze plan in your area. Bronze plans are the lowest level of coverage that most people are required to have under the health law. If a Bronze plan is still unaffordable to you even after financial assistance, or if you are under the age of 30, you may purchase a catastrophic plan. The calculator will tell you when catastrophic coverage may be an option to you. Premium tax credits cannot be applied to catastrophic health plans.
For more information on the difference between bronze and silver plans, see the question on actuarial value, below.
What are my options if I have job-based health coverage?
With most job-based health plans, an employer pays part of your monthly or yearly costs (premiums). In general, people who qualify for health insurance through their job are not able to get financial assistance through the Marketplaces.
However, if your employer’s coverage is either unaffordable or doesn’t meet the health care law’s “ minimum value ” requirement, then you may be eligible for financial help to purchase through the Marketplace. “Minimum value” means your employer plan pays at least 60% of the total cost of medical services. Your employer can tell you whether the insurance plan it offers meets minimum value. It also can provide you with information to determine if the plan is considered affordable to you.
Family members (spouses and children) who are eligible for employer-sponsored coverage can still qualify for Marketplace premium tax credits if the employer-sponsored coverage is considered unaffordable. Starting in 2023, the so-called “Family Glitch” has been fixed to allow family members in these circumstances to enroll in subsidized coverage.
When using the Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator, you can answer “No” to Question #3 if your employer’s coverage is unaffordable or does not meet the minimum value requirement.
What is actuarial value and how does it affect how much I pay for insurance and health care?
While health insurance may pay for most of a covered medical service, you generally still pay some of the cost when you go to the doctor or have a hospital stay. Actuarial value is the percentage of total covered medical expenses that are paid for by the insurance company, on average, for a typical population. The higher the actuarial value, the more financial protection the plan is likely to offer you when you get sick or need medical care.
For example, if a plan has an actuarial value of 70%, then the insurance company will pay about 70% of the total medical expenses for everyone covered by that plan . Together, you and everyone enrolled in the plan would pay the remaining 30% of the total bills. This does not mean that you personally will pay 30% of your expenses. Rather, this is an average across everyone enrolled in the plan. Your own costs will vary substantially from this amount, depending on how much care you use.
While actuarial value doesn’t tell you exactly what you will pay, understanding it can help you pick which level of plan is right for your health needs. Bronze plans, which are the lowest level of coverage offered through the marketplace, have an actuarial value of about 60%. Bronze plans will have low monthly premiums, but if you get sick or have an accident you will pay more in medical bills. Silver plans are somewhat more financially protective and have an actuarial value of about 70%. Gold and Platinum plans have the highest monthly payments but also are the most protective if you get sick or need a lot of medical care: they have actuarial values of about 80% and 90%, respectively. Once you pick which level of coverage is right for you, you can compare plans of a similar value side-by-side.
If your income is between 100% and 250% of the federal poverty level, you may qualify for a cost-sharing subsidy if you sign up for a silver plan (these subsidies are explained more above). With a cost - sharing subsidy, you still pay the same low premium of a silver plan, but the plan will be modified to reduce deductibles and other cost sharing to levels more similar to those found in gold or platinum plans. Normally silver plans have an actuarial value of 70%, but with the cost-sharing subsidy, your silver plans’ actuarial value will range from 73% to 94% (depending on your income). This means you will likely pay less when you go to the doctor or hospital than you otherwise would with a silver plan.
The Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator estimates whether you may be eligible for cost sharing subsidies. If you are likely eligible for a cost sharing subsidy, the calculator also shows what your silver plan’s actuarial value would be.