About 570,100 people in Indiana didn’t have health insurance in 2019, per data from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). That amounts to nearly 9% of the state’s population. In 2021, KFF found that of the people who are still uninsured this year, approximately 272,100 would be eligible for marketplace coverage.
Marketplace health insurance follows the rules of the Affordable Care Act. That means it has to cover people regardless of medical history, including those with pre-existing conditions. These plans also cover 10 essential health benefits and provide additional consumer protections by law.
The law also lays out tax credits, aka premium subsidies, for people earning between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. These subsidies help lower what you pay for your marketplace plan if you qualify.
And most people do qualify for these tax credits. In fact, KFF estimated that of the people who qualify for marketplace plans in Indiana but who don’t have one yet, about 12% could get a bronze plan for free (no premium) thanks to subsidies.
The nonprofit also looked at average premiums in Indiana by metal type this year. Lowest cost averages in 2021 are $333 for bronze, $400 for silver and $592 for gold. These amounts don’t include any tax credits, though.
If you qualify for one, a tax credit can help lower your monthly premium for marketplace plans. Using data from our own marketplace, we estimate that a 40-year-old in Fort Wayne, IN, with an income of $37,000 a year might pay $201.11 a month for a bronze plan with a tax credit.
Plan options and costs depend on where you live. Indiana has at least three marketplace insurers this year, including Anthem, Centene and CareSource.
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)