2026 health insurance premium & subsidy estimator
Enter your ZIP, ages, household size, and income. You will instantly see your estimated premium tax credit and what plans really cost per month in your area, no email required for the estimate.
Want the income lines on paper? The 2026 subsidy income chart shows the dollar figures by household size against every poverty-level line that decides Medicaid, cost-sharing reductions, and the premium tax credit.
How we calculate this
Premiums come from the official CMS Marketplace public use files for plan year 2026, actual filed rates by plan, age, and rating area, filtered to plans offered in your county. The subsidy follows the IRS formula: the benchmark second-lowest-cost Silver premium minus your income multiplied by the 2026 applicable percentage for your income bracket, per Rev. Proc. 2025-25. This covers the federal marketplace and most state-run exchanges; for the couple of state exchanges still missing from the public files (Colorado and Maryland) we use a state-average benchmark estimate and note that in the results. All figures are estimates, not quotes. Final premiums are set at enrollment through your state or federal marketplace.
Frequently asked questions
How is the 2026 health insurance subsidy calculated?
- Your subsidy (premium tax credit) is the cost of the second-lowest Silver plan in your area minus your expected contribution. Your contribution is your income multiplied by an applicable percentage set by the IRS, which ranges from about 2% of income near the poverty level to about 10% at four times the poverty level.
Who qualifies for an ACA subsidy in 2026?
- Households earning between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level qualify in 2026. The enhanced pandemic-era subsidies expired after 2025, so the 400% income cap applies again. Below 100%, Medicaid usually applies in expansion states.
Is the monthly premium the real cost of a health plan?
- No. The real annual cost is premium plus what you actually pay out of pocket: deductible, copays, and coinsurance up to the out-of-pocket maximum. A cheaper-premium plan can cost more overall if you use care. This tool shows premiums after subsidy; total-cost comparison is coming next.
Where does this calculator get its premium data?
- From the official CMS Marketplace public use files for plan year 2026 (the same plan and rate data behind HealthCare.gov), covering the federal marketplace and most state-run exchanges. A couple of state exchanges (Colorado and Maryland) are not in those files yet, so there we show a state-average benchmark estimate.
Do I have to give my email to see results?
- No. Your subsidy estimate and price ranges by tier are shown instantly with no signup. Email is only needed if you want the full plan-by-plan table.