About 5 Million Uninsured People Could Get ACA Marketplace Coverage Without a Monthly Premium – But They Would Have to Enroll Soon

By Craig Palosky / January 10, 2023

About 5 million uninsured people across the country could get coverage through an Affordable Care Act Marketplace health plan with virtually no monthly premium if they enroll soon, a new KFF analysis finds.

In most states, open enrollment runs through January 15, with tax credits available to help eligible low- and middle-income people afford coverage. Those tax credits would offset the full monthly premium for the lowest cost plan or plans for millions of uninsured residents, the analysis finds.

Free or nearly-free premium silver plans with very low deductibles are available to all Marketplace subsidy-eligible enrollees with incomes up to 150% of poverty ($20,385 for individuals or $41,625 for families of four enrolling in 2023).  In some cases, there could be a small extra charge – usually no more than a few dollars per month – for non-essential benefits covered by the plan.

In some parts of the country, people with incomes above 150% of poverty can also get free or nearly free silver plans, with somewhat less generous cost-sharing reductions. For example, as can be seen in the interactive map, a 40-year-old making $25,000 per year (184% of poverty) could get a free or nearly free silver plan with a smaller cost-sharing reduction in about 8% of counties, excluding counties where individuals are eligible for Medicaid or Basic Health Program (BHP) plans. Less generous bronze plans with higher deductibles are often available without a premium at even higher incomes.

KFF has an online calculator that estimates the tax credits and premiums available to individuals and families based on their age, income, and location, and maintains more than 300 frequently asked questions about open enrollment, the health insurance marketplaces and the ACA.