Cheap health insurance in Florida, the honest version

Start with the tax credit

For most people buying their own coverage, the biggest discount is the Marketplace tax credit. For 2027 the IRS expects you to pay a share of your income toward the benchmark Silver plan, from 2.15% at the lowest incomes up to 10.22% between 300% and 400% of the poverty level. The credit pays the rest of that benchmark price.

You can use the credit on a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum plan. If you pick a plan that costs less than the benchmark, the same credit covers more of it. Find your income in this table to see roughly where you stand:

Source: HHS poverty guidelines for 2026, used for 2027 coverage

Above 400% there is no credit for 2027 under the law as it stands in October 2026. Below 100% there usually isn't one either, because Florida did not expand Medicaid. Our quote form takes your estimated credit off every ACA price, so you see what you would really pay.

Bronze or Silver: the lowest premium isn't always the cheapest year

Bronze plans have the lowest premiums and the highest deductibles. On average they pay about 60% of costs. Silver pays about 70%, Gold 80% and Platinum 90%. If you rarely see a doctor, Bronze can make sense, as long as you could handle the deductible if something happened.

Silver has a hidden advantage for many Floridians. If your income is between 100% and 250% of the poverty level, Silver plans come with cost-sharing reductions: a lower deductible and lower copays. Only Silver gets them. At those incomes a Silver plan can cost a bit more each month than Bronze and still save you money the first time you need care.

Whatever you pick, every ACA plan has a yearly out-of-pocket maximum. That number is your worst case, and it is worth looking at as closely as the premium.

Under 30? Look at catastrophic plans

If you are under 30, or you have a hardship exemption, you can buy a catastrophic plan. Premiums are often low and the deductible is very high. They still cover the essential health benefits, preventive care at no cost in network, and three primary care visits a year before the deductible.

One catch: the tax credit can't be used on a catastrophic plan. If you qualify for a credit, a Bronze plan may end up costing you less. The quote shows both when they are available for your age and ZIP code.

Medicaid and Florida KidCare

Children under 19 can get coverage through Florida KidCare, and you can apply any time of year. Depending on income, a child may qualify for Medicaid or for a KidCare program with a small premium.

For adults, Florida Medicaid is much narrower because the state did not expand it. Adults under 100% of the poverty level often land in a coverage gap, with no Medicaid and no tax credit. If you think you might qualify, apply at ACCESS Florida. Medicaid takes applications all year. Families with kids should read our page on family health insurance.

Fixed indemnity: lower cost, real limits

UnitedHealthcare Health ProtectorGuard (HPG) is fixed indemnity insurance. People who get no tax credit, or who missed Open Enrollment, look at it because you can apply any month. Here are the current prices by age:

UnitedHealthcare Health ProtectorGuard, monthly price, no tobacco.

Source: Live UnitedHealthcare quotes from our quote engine on October 24, 2026. The price was the same in all 12 Florida counties we quoted. Your price depends on your age, sex and tobacco use.

Now the limits, plainly. HPG pays a set amount for each covered service no matter what the bill is. On Select 2000 that is $80 per doctor visit, with a combined maximum of 4 visits a calendar year, $10 per generic prescription fill up to 12 fills, and $2,000 per day in the hospital plus a $2,000 admission benefit once a year. If the bill is bigger than the benefit, you pay the rest.

• There is no out-of-pocket maximum, so a serious illness can cost far more than the plan pays.
• It is not minimum essential coverage and not a substitute for an ACA plan.
• Health questions apply, and pre-existing conditions can be limited. Counseling visits show as not covered in our explainer. Check the brochure.

For a healthy person who mostly wants help with doctor visits and a cushion for a hospital stay, it can be a lower cost choice. For anyone with an ongoing condition, an ACA plan is usually the safer buy. Our side by side of ACA plans and fixed indemnity goes through it.

What to avoid

Some plans look cheap because they pay very little. Watch for hospital benefits of a small amount per day, discount cards sold as if they were insurance, and any plan that won't show you in writing what it pays for a hospital stay. Our plan explainer shows what each plan would pay for a checkup, a sick visit, an ER visit and a hospital stay, so you can compare before you buy.

We don't sell short-term health plans on this site.

Don't lowball your income to get a bigger credit either. The credit is settled on your tax return with Form 8962, and you may have to pay the extra back. And while there is no federal tax penalty for going without coverage, one hospital stay without insurance can leave a bill that takes years to pay.

To see your real prices, fill out the quote form. No account, no phone number. Licensed agents help for free, and the chat answers in English or Spanish. We are not a government website. ACA enrollment finishes on HealthSherpa, a private enrollment site connected to the federal Marketplace.