What Obamacare Will Cost You

Ken AshfordHealth CareLeave a Comment

Okay, it's arrived (despite Ted Cruz's embarrassing attempt to kill it).

Obamacare is here.

For most of us who are employed, it'll probably mean some kind of change in our health coverage.  But of course, Obamacare wasn't meant for people who already had coverage; it was meant for those who didn't.  And when we are all covered, that works to everyone's benefit.

So, for those without coverage, you have to go to your state exchange and see what your state offers.

But 36 states (including North Carolina) have opted to go with the federal exchange.  And now we have the numbers for the federal exchange.  The cost of a healthcare plan under the federal exchange depends on, well, your age and where you live, as well as what plan you choose.  

And it's pretty good:

Table 1: Premiums and Qualified Health Plan Choices, 36 States (Weighted average across entire state)

 

State

 

Average Number of QHPs

27-Year-Old, Before Tax Credits

27-Year-Old with an Income of $25,000

Family of Four with an Income of $50,000

Lowest Bronze

Lowest Silver

Lowest Gold

Lowest Catastrophic

Second Lowest Silver Before Tax Credit

Second Lowest Silver After Tax Credit

Lowest Bronze After Tax Credit

Second Lowest Silver Before Tax Credit

Second Lowest Silver After Tax Credit

Lowest Bronze After Tax Credit

AK

34

$254

$312

$401

$236

$312

$107

$48

$1,131

$205

$0

AL

7

$162

$200

$248

$138

$209

$145

$98

$757

$282

$112

AR

28

$181

$231

$263

$135

$241

$145

$85

$873

$282

$64

AZ

106

$141

$164

$187

$107

$166

$145

$120

$600

$282

$192

DE

19

$203

$234

$282

$137

$237

$145

$111

$859

$282

$158

FL

102

$169

$200

$229

$132

$218

$145

$96

$789

$282

$104

GA

50

$179

$208

$242

$142

$221

$145

$103

$800

$282

$132

IA

39

$139

$175

$203

$95

$189

$145

$96

$683

$282

$103

ID

42

$150

$182

$211

$134

$188

$145

$107

$680

$282

$144

IL

58

$134

$180

$210

$134

$188

$145

$90

$682

$282

$84

IN

34

$200

$258

$332

$168

$265

$145

$80

$961

$282

$46

KS

37

$130

$171

$192

$87

$171

$145

$104

$619

$282

$133

LA

40

$175

$235

$253

$142

$249

$145

$71

$902

$282

$15

ME

20

$216

$255

$336

$182

$265

$145

$96

$961

$282

$104

MI

43

$146

$178

$218

$118

$202

$145

$89

$731

$282

$80

MO

17

$162

$211

$242

$110

$220

$145

$87

$798

$282

$72

MS

22

$225

$265

$321

N/A

$295

$145

$75

$1,069

$282

$28

MT

26

$165

$204

$222

$149

$208

$145

$102

$753

$282

$126

NC

22

$186

$237

$283

$123

$243

$145

$88

$880

$282

$74

ND

24

$185

$230

$259

$142

$232

$145

$98

$841

$282

$111

NE

40

$159

$196

$232

$122

$206

$145

$98

$744

$282

$113

NH

12

$186

$236

$281

$157

$237

$145

$94

$859

$282

$96

NJ

29

$219

$253

$303

$186

$260

$145

$103

$943

$282

$131

NM

52

$143

$181

$204

$120

$186

$145

$102

$672

$282

$128

OH

46

$177

$200

$243

$131

$212

$145

$110

$768

$282

$156

OK

53

$114

$169

$203

$105

$175

$145

$84

$634

$282

$63

PA

56

$151

$170

$205

$125

$187

$145

$109

$675

$282

$152

SC

26

$176

$219

$259

$146

$223

$145

$97

$809

$282

$109

SD

32

$196

$225

$272

$169

$235

$145

$106

$852

$282

$141

TN

59

$119

$155

$205

N/A

$161

$145

$103

$584

$282

$128

TX

54

$139

$189

$225

$139

$201

$145

$83

$727

$282

$57

UT

82

$153

$183

$212

$116

$203

$145

$95

$656

$282

$122

VA

47

$156

$213

$253

$118

$221

$145

$80

$799

$282

$48

WI

97

$189

$227

$280

$150

$238

$145

$96

$861

$282

$106

WV

12

$185

$218

$266

$169

$218

$145

$112

$789

$282

$161

WY

16

$286

$324

$365

$259

$342

$145

$90

$1,237

$282

$81

Average,

36 States

53

$163

$203

$240

$129

$214

$145

$93

$774

$282

$95

NOTE: Premiums shown above are a weighted average of the lowest cost plans in each rating area within a state. Weights are derived from county-level population under the age of 65, projected by the Census Bureau. The average across all 36 states is based on the number of uninsured eligible for the Marketplaces.

So, say you're 27 years old, making $25,000 a year, and live in North Carolina (under 27, you can remain on your parents' plan, thanks to Obamacare).  The lowest plan (the Bronze Plan) will cost you $186 per month, which isn't too bad.  When you factor in the tax credit you get, it will only be $88 per month.

Not bad.