Approximately 789,100 people in Arizona had no health insurance as of 2019, per data from the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). That represents 11.1% of the state’s total population. And of those still without coverage in 2021, KFF found that about 382,600 were eligible for a marketplace plan under the Affordable Care Act.
As a reminder, marketplace coverage refers to health insurance plans that comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the current healthcare law in the United States. These plans guarantee coverage for pre-existing conditions, offer certain consumer protections and cover 10 essential health benefits.
According to KFF, about 14% of the people who qualify for marketplace plans in Arizona could get a bronze plan for free, meaning no monthly premium.
That’s because advance premium tax credits (aka premium subsidies) help lower premiums for people with moderate to low incomes under the ACA. Subsidies are available to people who earn 100% to 400% of the federal poverty level.
Over the last few years, nearly 9 out of 10 people who bought plans on the federal marketplace qualified for these savings. Arizona is among the 36 states that use HealthCare.gov to find coverage. But you don’t have to use the federal marketplace to buy marketplace coverage. Private ones, like ours, can help you find savings, too.
In 2021, there are 6 marketplace insurers in Arizona. Kaiser Family Foundation also did an analysis of premium costs among three metal tiers. Lowest average premiums in Arizona for 2021 are $342 for bronze plans, $418 for silver and $553 for gold
These amounts don’t take into account any subsidies that might be available. Using our own marketplace data, we estimate that a 40-year-old living in Chandler with an income of $37,000 a year might pay as little as $225.84 a month for a bronze plan in Arizona with a subsidy.
Cost and availability depend on where you live. Health insurance carriers in Arizona include UnitedHealthcare, BlueCross BlueShield of Arizona, Oscar, Bright Health, Cigna and Centene.
Sources
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Health Insurance Coverage of the Total Population”
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Marketplace Eligibility Among the Uninsured: Implications for a Broadened Enrollment Period and ACA Outreach” (January 27, 2021)
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Average Marketplace Premiums by Metal Tier, 2018-2021”
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Insurer Participation on the ACA Marketplaces, 2014-2021” (November 23, 2020)