Health insurance cost in California
If you're moving to California without job-based coverage, here's what a Marketplace plan costs before subsidies. California ranks #19 of 51 for the lowest benchmark premium.
Monthly premium by age
| Age | Benchmark silver | Cheapest bronze |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | $446 | $344 |
| 30 | $506 | $391 |
| 40 | $570 | $440 |
| 50 | $796 | $615 |
| 60 | $1,211 | $935 |
| 64 | $1,338 | $1,033 |
Scaled from the age-40 average with the federal default age curve, which lets insurers charge a 64-year-old up to 3× what a 21-year-old pays. Excludes tobacco surcharges.
The California benchmark rose 11% for 2026, less than the 26% national increase, leaving it 9% below the U.S. average for a 40-year-old.
What is different in California
- Where to enroll
- Covered California
- Open enrollment for 2027
- Nov 1 – Jan 31
- Marketplace insurers, 2026
- 11
- Medicaid expansion
- Since Jan 2014
- Penalty if uninsured
- Yes, at tax time
- Average paid after credits, 2026
- $264/mo
- Where and when. California runs its own marketplace, Covered California, so you apply there rather than at HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027; pick a plan by December 31 for coverage that starts January 1. That window closes 16 days after HealthCare.gov's.
- Choice of insurers. 11 insurers sell Marketplace plans in California for 2026, down from 12 in 2025. Only two states have more, though not every insurer sells in every county. 1,927,371 people picked a Marketplace plan here for 2026, down 3% from 2025.
- What enrollees paid. Enrollees here paid an average of $264 a month after tax credits for 2026, up 41% from the $187 they paid for 2025 (U.S. average: $178). Before credits, the plans they chose averaged $737.
- Medicaid. California expanded Medicaid in January 2014, when the ACA expansion took effect. Adults with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level can generally get Medicaid instead of a Marketplace plan.
- Going uninsured. California requires residents to have qualifying coverage. For 2025, going uninsured all year cost the greater of $950 per adult and $475 per child, or 2.5% of household income above the state filing threshold. In 2024, 5.9% of residents had no health insurance (U.S.: 8.2%), and 6.4% bought their own coverage.
- Covered California State Subsidy Program. For 2027 the state is widening its own premium help to incomes up to 200% of the poverty level ($31,920 for one person).
Subsidies in 2026
The enhanced premium tax credits of 2021–2025 expired, so 2026 follows the original ACA rules: credits are available for household incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level, and you're expected to pay between about 2.1% and 9.96% of income for the benchmark plan. Above 400% there's no federal credit. Check your price at Covered California.
Frequently asked questions
How much is health insurance in California in 2026?
The benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old averages $570 a month before subsidies, and the cheapest bronze plan $440 (KFF analysis of CMS data). That's up 11% from 2025.
How much does health insurance cost for a 60-year-old in California?
About $1,211 a month for the benchmark silver plan before subsidies, using the federal default age curve.
Is there a penalty for not having health insurance in California?
Yes. California requires residents to have qualifying coverage. For 2025, going uninsured all year cost the greater of $950 per adult and $475 per child, or 2.5% of household income above the state filing threshold.