Short answer: You can always buy an Obamacare (Marketplace) plan, no matter how much you earn. What changes with income is the help paying for it. For 2027 plans, that help (the premium tax credit) stops if your household income is above 400% of the federal poverty level. That’s $63,840 for one person and $132,000 for a family of four. Above that line, you pay the full price.

Open Enrollment for 2027 starts November 1, 2026. If you think you’re over the line, read this before you pick a plan.

How much income is too much for Obamacare in 2027?

Here is 400% of the 2026 federal poverty guidelines (48 states and DC). If your household income for 2027 is above the number for your household size, you won’t get a premium tax credit.

People in your household	400% line for 2027 plans
1	$63,840
2	$86,560
3	$109,280
4	$132,000
Each additional person	add $22,720

These come straight from the poverty guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ($15,960 for one person, $33,000 for four), times four. Alaska and Hawaii have higher numbers.

One thing to know: this is a hard line. If you are $1 over, the federal help goes to zero. A few states add their own help, so check your state’s Marketplace too. When I look at someone’s situation, the first thing I ask is how close they are to that number, because a retirement contribution or a business expense can sometimes bring the income down. That’s a question for your CPA, not for me, but it’s worth asking before you decide.

Over the line, or close to it? Get my quote and I’ll check your options.

Key points

• The extra subsidies that removed the income limit ended December 31, 2025. The 400% limit is back for 2027.
• 2027 plans use the 2026 poverty guidelines, so the limits above are the ones that count this Open Enrollment.
• It’s your expected 2027 income that counts, not what you made last year.
• If you’re over the line, you have two paths: a full-price Marketplace plan, or a private plan that asks health questions. Which one is cheaper depends on your age, your ZIP code and your health.

What income counts?

The Marketplace looks at your household’s modified adjusted gross income for the year you’ll have coverage, so your best estimate of 2027 income. For most people that is close to the adjusted gross income on your tax return. If you’re self-employed, it’s your profit after business expenses, not your total sales.

If you estimate low and get a subsidy, then earn more, you may have to pay some or all of it back at tax time. If your income is hard to predict, be careful with your estimate.

How much does health insurance cost without a subsidy?

There’s no single price. A full-price plan depends on your age, your ZIP code and the plan level. What I can tell you:

• Insurers asked for a median increase of about 15% for 2027 (KFF, August 2026), on top of a 20% median increase in 2026.
• In 2026, 87% of Marketplace customers got a subsidy (KFF, May 2026). If you’re in the other 13%, you feel the whole increase yourself.
• Your premium is not your only cost. In 2027, a Marketplace plan can ask you to pay up to $12,000 for one person or $24,000 for a family out of your own pocket in a year, on top of the premium.

So when you compare, don’t just compare monthly prices. Look at four numbers: the premium, the deductible, the max out of pocket, and whether your doctors are in the network. I put these four side by side for every person I help, because the cheapest monthly price is not always the cheapest year.

Another client of mine was paying $1,100 a month for a catastrophic plan. Every time he went to the doctor, the visit wasn’t covered and he paid out of pocket. Then his usual doctors were no longer in network. A high premium doesn’t guarantee the plan works for how you actually use it.

What are my options if I don’t qualify for a subsidy?

1. A full-price Marketplace plan

• No health questions. Everyone is accepted, and pre-existing conditions are covered.
• Every plan covers the essential health benefits, including pregnancy.
• You pay the full premium, and you still have the deductible and max out of pocket.

If you have health conditions, take regular medications, or are planning a pregnancy, this is usually the right choice even at full price.

2. A private plan outside the Marketplace

Not every plan sold outside the Marketplace is the same. Some are ACA-compliant plans sold directly by insurers, with no health questions. The kind I’m talking about here is medically underwritten: the insurance company asks health questions and decides whether to approve you. Not everyone qualifies.

• For healthy people paying full price, the monthly cost can be lower than a Marketplace plan.
• The benefits work differently from a Marketplace plan, and they don’t cover everything a Marketplace plan does. You need to read what is and isn’t covered.
• You can usually apply any time of year, not only during Open Enrollment.

This path makes sense mostly for people who are healthy, are over the subsidy line, and want to keep their monthly cost down.

A 2027 price comparison

To make this concrete, I ran sample quotes for a healthy, non-smoking 50-year-old woman in Broward County, Florida (ZIP 33024), with $75,000 of income and coverage starting January 1, 2027. At that income she gets no federal help, so she pays the full price. She is an example, not a real client.

Plan	Monthly premium	Deductible	Max out of pocket	Network
Marketplace, lowest price	$770.00	$12,000	$12,000	HMO
Marketplace	$795.41	$11,975	$12,000	HMO
Marketplace	$946.63	$9,350	$11,000	HMO
Private plan	$639.07	$10,000	$12,000	PPO
Private plan	$773.11	$5,000	$7,000	PPO
Private plan	$949.93	$2,500	$4,500	PPO

Look at the two plans that cost about the same. For $3.11 more a month than the lowest-price Marketplace plan, the $5,000 private plan has a deductible $7,000 lower and a max out of pocket $5,000 lower. At the higher end, the $2,500 private plan costs $3.30 more a month than the $946.63 Marketplace plan, with a deductible $6,850 lower and a max out of pocket $6,500 lower.

If the lowest monthly price matters most, the $10,000 private plan is $130.93 a month less than the lowest-price Marketplace plan. That’s $1,571.16 over the year.

One of my clients has kids. He told me that every time one of them gets hurt, it costs him thousands because of his deductible. That’s why I look at what an accident would cost you, not just the monthly price. All three private plans above include accident protection.

Before you compare your own numbers: these are sample prices from November 2026, and yours will be different. The private plan prices apply only if the insurance company approves you after health questions. A private plan also doesn’t cover everything a Marketplace plan does, so check what is covered and what counts toward the max out of pocket. If you have a health condition, the Marketplace plan will accept you and the private plan may not.

Which one is cheaper for me?

It depends on you, and anyone who says one is always cheaper is not being honest with you. Here’s how I’d think about it:

• Over the income line, healthy, no regular prescriptions: compare both. A private plan may cost less.
• Over the income line, with a health condition or a pregnancy on the way: a Marketplace plan is usually the safer choice.
• Under the income line: stay on the Marketplace. The subsidy is almost always worth more than anything else.

When someone comes to me, I check both. If the Marketplace is the better fit, I tell you and point you to the right help. If a private plan fits, I show you the numbers side by side so you can decide.

Every situation is different. I look at your budget, your health needs, your doctors and how much financial risk you’re comfortable with. Compare my 2027 options

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy an Obamacare plan if I make too much? Yes. Anyone can buy a Marketplace plan during Open Enrollment. You just pay the full price without a tax credit.

When is Open Enrollment for 2027? November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. Enroll by December 15 for coverage starting January 1. See Open Enrollment dates.

Is the income limit before or after taxes? It uses modified adjusted gross income, which is before income tax but after certain deductions. Ask your CPA what yours will be.

Will the extra subsidies come back? As I’m writing this, nothing has been signed to bring them back for 2027. If that changes, I’ll update this post.

What if my income changes during 2027? Update your Marketplace application as soon as it changes, so your tax credit can be adjusted. That helps you avoid paying some of it back at tax time.

Can I get health insurance outside Open Enrollment? On the Marketplace, you generally need a qualifying life event, like losing other coverage. Medically underwritten private plans can usually be applied for any time of year, if you’re approved.

Paying full price for health insurance in 2027?

I’ll check your options and tell you honestly which kind of plan fits you, whether that’s a private plan or the Marketplace.

Compare my 2027 options · or text me your ZIP code: (954) 501-5554

Related: Health insurance for the self-employed · What the 2027 premium increase means · PPO health insurance for individuals and families · Health insurance for small business owners

Thyrza Oliveira, Licensed Health Insurance Agent, NPN 21702538, licensed in 31 states. This post is general information, not tax advice.

Sources

• HHS ASPE, 2026 Poverty Guidelines: https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines
• KFF, proposed 2027 premium increases (Aug 2026): https://www.kff.org/quick-insights/aca-marketplace-insurers-are-proposing-a-median-premium-increase-of-about-15-in-2027/
• KFF, why premiums are going up in 2027 (Aug 2026): https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/how-much-and-why-aca-marketplace-premiums-are-going-up-in-2027/
• KFF, 2026 enrollment (May 2026): https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/what-we-know-so-far-about-2026-aca-marketplace-enrollment-premiums-and-deductibles/
• 2027 out-of-pocket maximum: https://www.healthinsurance.org/blog/2027-aca-open-enrollment-whats-changing/
• Open Enrollment deadlines: https://www.healthinsurance.org/faqs/what-are-the-deadlines-for-the-acas-open-enrollment-period/