How Much Does Health Insurance Cost for a 1099 Contractor in 2026?
Real numbers, and the three variables that move them most.
There is no single answer, but the range is narrower than it looks once you know which variables actually matter.
The three things that move the price
On the ACA marketplace: your age, your household income, and where you live. On a flat-priced group plan: only how many people are on the policy. That is the fundamental difference between the two markets, and it is why the same person can get wildly different answers depending on which one they shop.
What group plans actually cost
For an individual, Benefit Airship's plans run $269 a month for MVP, $579 for Bronze 4.4, $679 for Silver 3.2, $749 for Gold 2.0 and $799 for Platinum 1.2. For a whole family the same plans are $679, $1,649, $2,199, $2,589 and $2,759. None of those numbers change with age or state.
What the marketplace costs
Unsubsidised marketplace premiums vary widely by age and region, and a subsidy can reduce them to very little. You cannot estimate this from an article. Get your own number from HealthCare.gov, because it is the only figure that matters for your comparison.
Budget for the deductible too
Premium is the number you see; the deductible is the one that hurts. A $269 plan carrying a $5,000 deductible is not a $269 plan in a year when you need care. Work out the full-year total for each option before deciding.