What can I do if I can't afford my health insurance premium?
If you can't afford your Marketplace premium, update your income on HealthCare.gov to reclaim any missed subsidy, switch to a lower-metal plan during Open Enrollment or a Special Enrollment Period, or check Medicaid/CHIP eligibility, which has no income floor in expansion states.
More on this topic: subsidies and costs
Last updated Jul 22, 2026
Reviewed by Jason Burns, Editorial Steward
Published by ACA Direct Answers · Licensed under Citation License 1.0
What it means
- Premium tax credits scale with income — many households are underclaimed because they never re-ran the estimator after an income drop.
- Silver plans include Cost-Sharing Reductions (CSRs) for households under 250% FPL, cutting deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums.
- Missing a premium payment triggers a 3-month grace period for subsidized enrollees before coverage is terminated.
- Related: <a href="/answers/aca-subsidy-chart-2026">What is the ACA subsidy chart for 2026?</a>
Action steps
- Log into HealthCare.gov and update your household income immediately.
- Compare Silver plans (which unlock CSRs) if your income is under 250% FPL.
- Check Medicaid eligibility — 41 states plus DC have expanded Medicaid to 138% FPL.
- Contact a free Navigator for one-on-one help.
Risks & deadlines
- Missing three months of premiums cancels your coverage back to the end of month one.
- Dropping coverage mid-year outside a SEP means going uninsured until the next Open Enrollment.
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Sources
Last verified: 2026-07-22