Health insurance cost in Massachusetts
If you're moving to Massachusetts without job-based coverage, here's what a Marketplace plan costs before subsidies. Massachusetts ranks #7 of 51 for the lowest benchmark premium.
Monthly premium by age
| Age | Benchmark silver | Cheapest bronze |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | $420 | $334 |
| 30 | $456 | $363 |
| 40 | $494 | $393 |
| 50 | $617 | $491 |
| 60 | $839 | $667 |
| 64 | $839 | $667 |
Massachusetts sets its own age curve and limits age rating to 2:1, so a 64-year-old pays about twice what a 21-year-old pays (the federal limit is 3:1). Excludes tobacco surcharges.
The Massachusetts benchmark rose 11% for 2026, less than the 26% national increase, leaving it 21% below the U.S. average for a 40-year-old.
What is different in Massachusetts
- Where to enroll
- Massachusetts Health Connector
- Open enrollment for 2027
- Oct 23 – Jan 23
- Marketplace insurers, 2026
- 7
- Medicaid expansion
- Since Jan 2014
- Penalty if uninsured
- Yes, at tax time
- Average paid after credits, 2026
- $325/mo
- Where and when. Massachusetts runs its own marketplace, the Massachusetts Health Connector, so you apply there rather than at HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs October 23, 2026 to January 23, 2027; pick a plan by December 23 for coverage that starts January 1. That window opens 9 days before and closes 8 days after HealthCare.gov's.
- Choice of insurers. 7 insurers sell Marketplace plans in Massachusetts for 2026, the same number as in 2025. Not every insurer sells in every county, so your choices depend on where you live. 403,624 people picked a Marketplace plan here for 2026, up 4% from 2025, one of 10 states (counting DC) where sign-ups rose even as the enhanced federal credits ran out.
- What enrollees paid. Enrollees here paid an average of $325 a month after tax credits for 2026, up 64% from the $198 they paid for 2025 (U.S. average: $178). Before credits, the plans they chose averaged $594.
- Medicaid. Massachusetts 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. Massachusetts requires adults to carry coverage that meets its Minimum Creditable Coverage standard. Adults who could afford coverage and go more than three consecutive months without it owe a monthly penalty on their state tax return. In 2024, 2.8% of residents had no health insurance, the lowest share in the country (U.S.: 8.2%), and 5.9% bought their own coverage.
- ConnectorCare. Plans with $0 or low premiums and low out-of-pocket costs for households with income from 100% to 400% of the poverty level in 2026.
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 the Massachusetts Health Connector.
Frequently asked questions
How much is health insurance in Massachusetts in 2026?
The benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old averages $494 a month before subsidies, and the cheapest bronze plan $393 (KFF analysis of CMS data). That's up 11% from 2025.
How much does health insurance cost for a 60-year-old in Massachusetts?
About $839 a month for the benchmark silver plan before subsidies, using Massachusetts' own age curve, which limits age rating to 2:1.
Is there a penalty for not having health insurance in Massachusetts?
Yes. Massachusetts requires adults to carry coverage that meets its Minimum Creditable Coverage standard. Adults who could afford coverage and go more than three consecutive months without it owe a monthly penalty on their state tax return.