Health insurance cost in New York
If you're moving to New York without job-based coverage, here's what a Marketplace plan costs before subsidies. New York ranks #46 of 51 for the lowest benchmark premium.
Monthly premium by age
New York doesn't vary premiums by age: every adult pays about $817 a month for the benchmark silver plan and $610 for the cheapest bronze plan.
New York uses community rating: premiums don't vary by age. Excludes tobacco surcharges.
The New York benchmark rose 3% for 2026, less than the 26% national increase, leaving it 31% above the U.S. average for a 40-year-old.
What is different in New York
- Where to enroll
- NY State of Health
- Open enrollment for 2027
- Check the marketplace
- Marketplace insurers, 2026
- 12
- Medicaid expansion
- Since Jan 2014
- Penalty if uninsured
- None
- Average paid after credits, 2026
- $636/mo
- Where and when. New York runs its own marketplace, NY State of Health, so you apply there rather than at HealthCare.gov. NY State of Health sets its own open-enrollment dates. We couldn't confirm the 2027 dates on an official page when we checked in September 2026, so check its site before you move.
- Choice of insurers. 12 insurers sell Marketplace plans in New York for 2026, the same number as in 2025. Only one state has more, though not every insurer sells in every county. 210,704 people picked a Marketplace plan here for 2026, down 5% from 2025.
- What enrollees paid. Enrollees here paid an average of $636 a month after tax credits for 2026, up 20% from the $532 they paid for 2025 (U.S. average: $178). Before credits, the plans they chose averaged $812.
- Medicaid. New York 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. New York doesn't charge a penalty for going without coverage, and the federal penalty ended after 2018. In 2024, 4.9% of residents had no health insurance (U.S.: 8.2%), and 5.4% bought their own coverage.
- Essential Plan. Low-cost coverage for residents with income below 200% of the poverty level. People between 200% and 250% lost Essential Plan eligibility on July 1, 2026 and can buy regular Marketplace plans instead.
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 NY State of Health.
Frequently asked questions
How much is health insurance in New York in 2026?
The benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old averages $817 a month before subsidies, and the cheapest bronze plan $610 (KFF analysis of CMS data). That's up 3% from 2025.
How much does health insurance cost for a 60-year-old in New York?
New York doesn't rate premiums by age, so a 60-year-old pays the same as anyone else: about $817 a month for the benchmark silver plan.
Did New York expand Medicaid?
New York 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.