Health Insurance for 18-Year-Olds

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Updated: October 27, 2026

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Key Takeaways
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Marketplace HMO premiums for 18-year-olds range from $291 a month for a Catastrophic plan to $588 for Platinum. Premium tax credits lower that price for households with income between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL), an income measure the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services updates each year to set eligibility for Medicaid and Marketplace savings. For 2026 coverage, that’s $15,650 to $62,600 a year for a single person outside Alaska and Hawaii.

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At the Silver tier, an EPO is the cheapest plan type for 18-year-olds at $437 a month, $124 less than a PPO at $561. An EPO keeps you in one network, but you can still see specialists without a referral, so you get direct specialist access at the lowest Silver price.

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An 18-year-old can lower costs through Medicaid, an employer plan, a parent’s plan or a Catastrophic plan.

Things to Look for Before Buying Health Insurance as an 18-Year-Old

Check the deductible before you pick the plan with the lowest monthly premium. The deductible is the amount you pay before your plan covers most care. A Catastrophic HMO plan averages $291 a month but has a $10,600 deductible before coverage applies to most services.

Before comparing prices, think about how you use health care. If you take regular medications or expect to see a specialist this year, add the deductible and copays to 12 months of premiums before you choose the plan with the lowest monthly price.

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    Monthly Premium vs. Deductible

    A monthly premium is what you pay each month regardless of care use. A deductible is what you pay before coverage starts. Compare both numbers across plans, not just the monthly rate.

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    Network Coverage

    HMO and EPO plans cover only doctors in one network. If you attend college in another state or relocate, confirm the plan covers providers in both locations before enrolling.

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    Prescription Drug Coverage

    Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal law that governs these plans, all ACA Marketplace plans cover prescription drugs. The cost of each drug varies by plan. Check the plan's drug list, called a formulary, to confirm your prescriptions are covered before you enroll.

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    Mental Health Services

    ACA-compliant plans must cover mental health care at the same level as physical care. Check which therapists and psychiatrists are in-network in your location before choosing a plan.

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    Out-of-Pocket Maximum

    This is the most you'll pay in a year before your plan covers 100% of costs. A plan with a lower monthly premium can have a higher out-of-pocket maximum, which matters most if you need emergency care.

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    Preventive Care

    All ACA-compliant plans cover annual checkups, vaccines and recommended screenings at no cost when you see an in-network provider. You pay nothing out of pocket and don't need to meet your deductible first.

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    Open Enrollment Timing

    You can enroll in a Marketplace plan during Open Enrollment, which is from November 1 through January 15 in most states. Losing a parent's plan gives you a 60-day Special Enrollment Period outside this window.

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WHEN DO I GET KICKED OFF MY PARENT'S PLAN?

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), most 18-year-olds can stay on a parent's plan until 26. It covers you whether you live at home or not. Your marital status, job and school enrollment don't affect eligibility. It covers both employer plans and plans purchased through HealthCare.gov.

Nine states extend coverage beyond 26 for unmarried dependents: Florida, Nebraska, New York, South Dakota, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Check that the plan's in-network providers cover your area. A plan based in your parents' home state may not cover routine care near your school or city.

How Can You Get Medical Insurance as an 18-Year-Old or a Student?

At 18, you can get health insurance through a parent’s plan, an employer plan, Medicaid, a Marketplace plan or a university health plan. A parent’s plan you’re already enrolled in, or an employer plan that pays part of your premium, can cost less than a plan you buy on your own.

You can buy a Marketplace plan during Open Enrollment or within 60 days of losing a parent’s plan or employer coverage. That loss counts as a qualifying life event and opens a Special Enrollment Period.

Health Insurance Options for Students and 18-year-olds
Parent’s Plan

Most young adults can stay on a parent’s plan until age 26 if the parent has job-based or Marketplace coverage. If you stay on a parent's plan at 18, your parent may receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) for each claim you file. An EOB lists the care you received, such as mental health visits and prescriptions. You can request confidential communications from the insurer to have your documents sent to your own address.

Employer Plan

If you're working and your job offers health insurance, start there. Employer plans cover a wide range of care, and when your employer pays part of the premium, your monthly cost is lower than buying a plan on your own.

Medicaid

Every state covers 18-year-olds through Medicaid when household income is at or below 133% of FPL, and states cover children until age 19 at higher income limits through CHIP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program. At 19, adult rules apply, which cover incomes up to 138% of FPL in states that expanded Medicaid. Medicaid covers doctor visits, prescriptions and preventive care at little or no cost, and you can apply through your state Medicaid site or HealthCare.gov.

Marketplace Plans (HealthCare.gov)

Marketplace plans come in several coverage levels with built-in benefits like preventive care, prescription drugs and mental health services. Premium tax credits lower your monthly cost if your household income falls between 100% and 400% of FPL.

Buying Directly from an Insurance Company

Some insurers sell plans directly, including short-term coverage. These plans are not ACA-compliant. They can deny claims for pre-existing conditions, which are health issues you had before the policy started, and they don't cover mental health care, prescriptions or maternity care by default. They work as a short-term bridge only.

University Health Plans

Many colleges offer student plans with predictable costs and on-campus care. If you're heading to school, this can be an easy way to get care on campus and avoid paying for more insurance than you need.

How Much Is Health Insurance for an 18-Year-Old?

A monthly premium is what you pay each month for health coverage regardless of whether you use care. For 18-year-olds, Marketplace HMO premiums range from $291 a month for a Catastrophic plan to $588 for Platinum in MoneyGeek’s analysis of 2026 CMS data.
Lower tiers have a higher deductible, the amount you pay before coverage starts. Each step up in tier raises the monthly premium and cuts what you pay when you use care. Across all ages, 83% of 2026 Marketplace enrollees chose Bronze (40%) or Silver (43%), according to CMS.

Catastrophic
$291
$3,493
Bronze
$367
$4,406
Expanded Bronze
$353

$4,237

Silver

$477

$5,723

Gold
$492
$5,901
Platinum
$588
$7,061

*These averages are before premium tax credits. The credit is available to households with income between 100% and 400% of FPL, or $15,650 to $62,600 for a single person for 2026 coverage (higher in Alaska and Hawaii). If a parent claims you as a tax dependent, you count in your parent’s household, and your parent claims the credit using that household’s income. Figures are for HMO plans, and the plan type table below shows EPO, POS and PPO prices at each tier.  

Expanded Bronze plans cover at least one major service, such as primary care visits, before the deductible. Both Bronze types pay at least 58% of covered costs, and Expanded Bronze can reach 65%, three points above standard Bronze. An Expanded Bronze HMO averages $353 a month, $14 less than a standard Bronze HMO. 

Silver is the only tier that qualifies for cost-sharing reductions, which are income-based discounts that lower your deductible and copays on top of any premium savings. They apply when household income is between 100% and 250% of FPL, or $15,650 to $39,125 for a single person for 2026 coverage. For 18-year-olds who qualify, a Silver plan can cost less over the year than a Bronze plan despite the higher monthly premium.

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UNDERSTANDING PLAN TIERS

Catastrophic plans are open to anyone under 30 and to older adults with a hardship or affordability exemption. A Catastrophic HMO averages $291 a month, but you pay up to $10,600 before coverage starts for most care. Catastrophic plans cover at least three primary care visits a year and all preventive care at no cost. If you qualify for premium tax credits or cost-sharing reductions, a Bronze or Silver plan can be a better value, so compare both before you choose.

Choose a Catastrophic plan if you're healthy, rarely visit the doctor and can cover a large out-of-pocket expense if something serious happens. Choose Bronze if you expect to need care beyond preventive visits but still want a low monthly cost.

Every Bronze and Catastrophic Marketplace plan works with a health savings account (HSA) in 2026. With an HSA, you set aside pretax money for deductibles, copays and other medical bills. You can contribute only if no one can claim you as a tax dependent, which leaves out 18-year-olds on a parent's tax return.

Health Insurance for an 18-Year-Old by State

Health insurance costs at 18 vary by state based on how many insurers compete in your Marketplace, local health care costs and state regulations. In our analysis of 2026 CMS data, Silver-tier premiums range from under $400 a month in lower-cost states to over $600 in higher-cost states.

The cost differences between states reflect insurer competition. States with fewer Marketplace carriers tend to see higher premiums because there's less price pressure. Use your state's average from the table as a baseline before comparing individual plans through HealthCare.gov.

Alaska
N/A
$638
N/A
N/A
Alabama
N/A
$310
N/A
$312
Arizona
$420
N/A
N/A
N/A
Arkansas
N/A
$438
$513
N/A
California
$411
$611
N/A
$691
Colorado
$387
N/A
N/A
$386
Connecticut
$411
$543
$526
N/A
Delaware
$471
$536
N/A
$492
Florida
$528
$996
$761
$645
Georgia
$478
$531
N/A
N/A
Hawaii
$400
$409
N/A
N/A
Idaho
$382
$346
$342
N/A
Illinois
$415
$582
$346
N/A
Indiana
$442
N/A
$304
$417
Iowa
$371
$354
N/A
$384
Kansas
N/A
N/A
N/A
$462
Kentucky
$454
N/A
N/A
N/A
Louisiana
$427
$656
$417
$438
Maine
$526
$600
N/A
N/A
Maryland
$290
$443
N/A
N/A
Massachusetts
$375
N/A
N/A
$485
Michigan
$380
$483
N/A
$323
Minnesota
$384
$376
N/A
$417
Mississippi
$370
N/A
N/A
$375
Missouri
N/A
N/A
N/A
$424
Montana
N/A
$434
$398
$453
Nebraska
N/A
$726
N/A
$595
Nevada
$442
N/A
N/A
$441
New Hampshire
$379
$558
N/A
$324
New Jersey
$905
N/A
N/A
$492
New Mexico
$448
N/A
N/A
N/A
New York*
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
North Carolina
$483
$582
$489
$444
North Dakota
$371
$409
N/A
N/A
Ohio
$441
N/A
N/A
N/A
Oklahoma
$395
$493
N/A
N/A
Oregon
N/A
N/A
N/A
$282
Pennsylvania
$387
$454
$339
$357
Rhode Island
$335
$494
$413
N/A
South Carolina
$384
$503
$379
$438
South Dakota
$334
$462
N/A
$476
Tennessee
N/A
N/A
N/A
$505
Texas
$404
N/A
$473
$468
Utah
$452
N/A
N/A
$392
Vermont
$1,135
N/A
N/A
$1,247
Virginia
$368
$754
N/A
$314
Washington
$328
N/A
N/A
$454
Washington, D.C.
$418
$496
N/A
N/A
West Virginia
$838
$633
N/A
N/A
Wisconsin
$468
$429
$679
$525
Wyoming
N/A
$667
N/A
$760

Health Insurance Costs for 18-Year-Olds by Plan Type

Plan type affects both your monthly premium and how you get care. At the Silver tier, an EPO is the cheapest option for 18-year-olds at $437 a month. A POS costs $474 and an HMO costs $477, which puts them $37 and $40 above the EPO. An HMO requires a primary care referral before you see a specialist, and referral rules for POS plans differ by plan.

A PPO averages $561 at the Silver tier, $124 more than an EPO. The extra cost buys out-of-network coverage, so you can see doctors outside the plan’s network and still get part of the bill paid. That matters if you go to school or work in another state.

HMO
$291
$353
$367
$477
$492
$588
PPO
$358
$382
$443
$561
$567
$839
POS
$245
$404
$501
$474
$539
$895
EPO
$318
$384
$373
$437
$487
$910

*Averages for 18-year-olds before premium tax credits. Your price depends on your state, plan type and metal tier, so compare these figures with the plans HealthCare.gov shows for your ZIP code.

The cheapest plan type changes by tier. EPOs cost the least at Silver and Gold, HMOs at Expanded Bronze, Bronze and Platinum, and a POS plan at Catastrophic ($245). Compare all four plan types within the tier you want, because none of them is cheapest at every tier.

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HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN TYPES FOR 18-YEAR-OLDS

Four plan types are available on the Marketplace, each with different rules for which doctors you can see and whether you need a referral.

  • HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations): HMO plans keep costs low by requiring you to stay within a specific provider network. You'll choose a primary care doctor who coordinates your care and refers you to specialists. Choose an HMO if you want predictable monthly costs and are comfortable seeing only doctors in one network.
  • PPOs (Preferred Provider Organizations): PPO plans offer the most flexibility. You can see any doctor without a referral, including out-of-network providers, though out-of-network care costs more. PPOs cost more than HMOs at every metal tier. Choose a PPO if you travel frequently or need to see doctors across multiple states.
  • EPOs (Exclusive Provider Organizations): EPO plans fall between HMOs and PPOs. You must stay in-network, but you don't need referrals to see specialists. At the Silver tier, an EPO costs $124 less than a PPO and gives you more choice than an HMO.
  • POS (Point-of-Service) Plans: POS plans mix HMO and PPO features. Referral rules and out-of-network coverage differ by plan, so check the rules before you book an appointment. POS premiums vary more by tier than any other plan type, from $245 for Catastrophic to $895 for Platinum. The same care costs more when your provider is outside the plan’s network.

Which Is the Best Health Insurance Type for an 18-Year-Old?

The best health insurance at 18 varies by situation more than by age. A full-time worker with employer benefits has a different answer than a student in another state or someone managing a chronic condition. 

When neither employer coverage nor a parent's plan is available, check Medicaid eligibility first. Medicaid covers doctor visits, prescriptions, preventive care and mental health services at little or no monthly cost for those who qualify. Buy a Marketplace plan only after ruling out Medicaid.

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    If You're Working Full Time

    An employer plan is the simplest choice, and your job covers part of the cost. If your employer doesn't offer one, look at a Marketplace plan next. To compare plans, check the monthly premium, deductible and which doctors and pharmacies are in-network.

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    If You’re Self-Employed

    You can buy a Marketplace plan that fits your income and budget. Many 18-year-olds also stay on a parent's or spouse's plan because it's simpler and can cost less. If you rarely use medical care, a Bronze or Catastrophic plan keeps your monthly cost low.

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    You’re Unemployed or Your Income Is Low

    Medicaid is the most affordable option, at little or no monthly cost, and it includes doctor visits, preventive care, prescriptions and mental health services. Eligibility depends on household income. If a parent claims you as a tax dependent, you count in your parent’s household and your parent’s income applies to your application.

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    You're a Student

    Some colleges offer their own student health plans for simple, campus-based care. If your school doesn't offer insurance, or if you want more control over your coverage, you can buy a Health Insurance Marketplace plan or apply for Medicaid. Check whether the network covers doctors near your school if you're still on a parent's plan.

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    If You're Married

    Compare a Marketplace family plan with your spouse's employer plan on cost and coverage. You can also stay on a parent's plan until age 26. Check the networks to confirm you have in-network care where you live.

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    Single Parent

    When employer coverage is available, start there, since your employer covers part of the premium. If it isn't, a Marketplace family plan or Medicaid can cover both you and your child. Compare total costs carefully: Premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket limits matter more when you're covering two people.

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    Unhealthy or Chronic Illness

    For 18-year-olds with chronic conditions, a plan with a higher premium and lower deductible can cost less over the year. An HMO works if you're comfortable with a limited network. Choose a PPO if you need specialist care or out-of-network coverage.

Which Health Insurance Should You Buy as an 18-Year-Old?

Employer coverage is the first place to check. When a job covers part of your premium, your monthly cost can be a fraction of what a standalone Marketplace plan costs. If you're already enrolled in a parent's plan, it costs you nothing extra in most cases. Confirm the network covers your location.

Medicaid is free or near-free for those who qualify and covers doctor visits, prescriptions, preventive care and mental health services. Every state covers 18-year-olds with household income at or below 133% of FPL. Check HealthCare.gov or your state Medicaid office to confirm eligibility before you shop Marketplace plans.

Premium tax credits lower Marketplace prices for households with income between 100% and 400% of FPL. Silver HMO plans average $477 a month before credits, and Silver EPOs average $437. Start at HealthCare.gov to see your price after credits.

Frequently Asked Questions

How We Calculated the Cost of Health Insurance for 18-Year-Olds

Health insurance costs for 18-year-olds vary based on where you live, which plan type you choose and what coverage level you need. We analyzed Marketplace data to show what you'll pay at 18.

Our Data Source 
Plan data comes from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) government website. We analyzed individual Marketplace plans from multiple insurance providers across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Sample Profile Used
All cost data reflects what an 18-year-old pays for health insurance in 2026. We used age 18 to reflect young adults entering the individual Marketplace for the first time, whether they're leaving a parent's plan, starting a first job or heading to college.

Coverage Types Analyzed
The analysis covers all metal tiers (Catastrophic, Bronze, Expanded Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum) and plan types (HMO, EPO, POS and PPO). This shows the full range from lowest-cost Catastrophic plans to Platinum plans with the most extensive coverage. Metal-tier figures reflect HMO plans. The plan type table shows EPO, POS and PPO prices for each tier.

State-by-State Analysis
We calculated average costs for each state separately because premiums vary by location. An 18-year-old in Alabama pays roughly half what someone in Alaska pays for the same Silver plan.

Why This Approach Works for You
We isolated costs for 18-year-olds, so every figure reflects what someone your age pays in 2026 rather than an average across all ages.

Data Recency
All plan data and premium calculations reflect 2026 Marketplace rates before premium tax credits, with state-specific pricing.

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About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, Licensed P&C Insurance Expert, MoneyGeek

Mark Fitzpatrick is a licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer and MoneyGeek's resident expert in insurance and economics. In nearly a decade covering the insurance market at LendingTree and MoneyGeek, he's analyzed hundreds of carriers and millions of rates across auto, home, renters, health and life insurance.

His work has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR. He draws on independent cost and consumer experience data, and no insurance company partnerships affect his recommendations.

Mark studied at Boston College and later earned a master's in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University. He worked in financial risk management at State Street before joining MoneyGeek. He's also a five-time “Jeopardy!” champion.

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