The honest answer to how much health insurance costs for self-employed people is: it depends on your age, where you live, the plan tier you pick, and, most of all in 2026, your income. With the enhanced subsidies gone, the sticker price matters more than it has in years. Here are the real numbers, what drives them, and how to estimate your own cost.
Note: All figures below are 2026 averages for illustration. Your actual price depends on your ZIP code, age, plan, and income. Use HealthCare.gov or your state exchange for real quotes.
The Short Answer: 2026 Average Costs
For a 40-year-old buying a marketplace plan without subsidies, national averages in 2026 look like this:
| Plan | Average monthly premium | Average deductible |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark silver (second-lowest-cost silver) | About $625 | About $5,300 |
| Lowest-cost bronze | About $456 | About $7,200 |
That works out to roughly $7,500 a year for a benchmark silver plan and $5,500 a year for the cheapest bronze plan in premiums alone, before you pay any deductible or copays.
Averages hide big differences by state. Benchmark premiums in 2026 range from roughly $400 a month in New Hampshire to about $1,300 a month in Vermont.
What About After Subsidies?
If your income qualifies for a premium tax credit, your cost can be far lower. With the enhanced subsidies expired, the original rules apply:
- Credits are generally available between about 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level
- The credit is set so you pay a fixed percentage of income for a benchmark silver plan, with that percentage rising as your income rises, reaching roughly 9% to 10% of income at the top of the range
- Above about 400% of the poverty level (roughly $63,000 to $64,000 for a single adult), you generally get no credit at all and pay the full price
Across all marketplace enrollees, KFF found that the average monthly premium payment, net of tax credits, rose 58% in 2026, from $113 to $178. Many people responded by switching to bronze plans.
Premium vs. Deductible: Look at Total Cost
A cheaper premium usually means a higher deductible, so compare total yearly cost, not just the monthly bill. Using the averages above for an unsubsidized 40-year-old:
| Bronze | Silver | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual premiums (approx.) | $5,470 | $7,500 |
| Average deductible | $7,200 | $5,300 |
| Premiums plus deductible | About $12,700 | About $12,800 |
On average, the totals come out remarkably close. The right choice depends on how much care you expect to use. Healthy people who rarely see a doctor often come out ahead with bronze, while people with regular care needs may do better with a plan that has a lower deductible. The worst-case number for any plan is its out-of-pocket maximum, which the federal rules cap at roughly $10,600 for an individual in 2026.
What Determines Your Premium?
Insurers can only use a few factors to set marketplace prices:
- Age. Older adults can be charged up to about three times what a young adult pays
- Location. Prices vary by state and by rating area within a state, with rural areas often costing more
- Plan tier. Bronze is cheapest, followed by silver, gold, and platinum
- Tobacco use. Insurers can charge tobacco users more
- Family size. More covered people means a higher total
- Insurer and network. Broader networks often cost more
What they can’t use is your health history. Marketplace plans must accept you and can’t charge you more for pre-existing conditions.
States that run their own exchanges or have reinsurance programs tend to have lower premiums on average, so where you live can matter as much as which plan you choose.
Self-Employed Costs Beyond the Premium
Your health insurance bill isn’t just the monthly premium. Budget for:
- Deductible: what you pay before most coverage begins
- Copays and coinsurance: your share of each visit or service
- Prescription costs, which may have a separate deductible
- Out-of-pocket maximum: the most you’ll pay in covered care in a year
- Dental and vision, which are usually separate. See our guide on dental and vision insurance for freelancers
The Tax Break That Lowers Your Real Cost
Self-employed people can usually deduct health insurance premiums on their tax return. The self-employed health insurance deduction reduces your income tax, though not your self-employment tax. As a simple illustration, $6,000 in yearly premiums at a 22% federal bracket could save roughly $1,320 in federal income tax. Our guide on whether you can deduct health insurance as a freelancer explains eligibility and limits.
If you qualify, contributions to an HSA can lower your taxable income too. See our guide on HSA for freelancers.
How to Lower Your Health Insurance Cost as a Freelancer
- Manage your MAGI. Retirement contributions to a SEP IRA or Solo 401(k), HSA contributions, and business deductions can lower your modified adjusted gross income, which may increase your subsidy or keep you under the cutoff
- Compare bronze, silver, and gold. In some areas, gold plans can cost less than silver after subsidies, so check all tiers
- Check for cost-sharing reductions. If your income is under about 250% of the poverty level, a silver plan can come with much lower deductibles
- Consider an HSA-eligible bronze plan. Starting in 2026, bronze plans qualify for an HSA, which adds a tax benefit
- Look at a spouse’s employer plan if one is available
- Shop every year. Prices, networks, and subsidies change, so an old plan may no longer be the best value
- Estimate income carefully. Since repayment caps on excess credits were removed for 2026, understating income can turn into a bill at tax time
How to Estimate Your Own Cost
- Estimate your net self-employment income for the year and subtract deductions to find your MAGI
- Enter your ZIP code, age, and income into HealthCare.gov, your state exchange, or KFF’s marketplace calculator to see prices and any subsidy
- Compare premium plus deductible for the plans you’re considering
- Subtract the tax value of the self-employed health insurance deduction to see your after-tax cost
The Bottom Line
For a typical 40-year-old freelancer in 2026, marketplace health insurance without subsidies averages roughly $450 to $625 a month, with wide swings by state and age. Subsidies can reduce that substantially for incomes under about 400% of the poverty level, but above that line you pay full price. Compare total yearly cost, not just the premium, keep your income estimate accurate, and use deductions and HSA contributions to bring your real cost down.
This article is for general informational purposes and isn’t personalized insurance, tax, or financial advice. Premiums, deductibles, and subsidy rules change every year and vary by location. Get real quotes on HealthCare.gov or your state exchange, and consult a licensed insurance professional or tax advisor for guidance specific to your situation.