Alabama
Cheapest ACA plans in Birmingham, Alabama for 2026
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
Birmingham is in Jefferson County, Alabama. 4 carriers sell 2026 ACA plans on Healthcare.gov for residents of Jefferson County, and the cheapest Bronze plan a 40-year-old can enroll in starts at $441/month before any subsidy. Carriers are licensed and rated at the county level, so the plans below cover everyone in Jefferson County, including Birmingham.
Cheapest plans by metal tier
Lowest 2026 monthly premium for a single 40-year-old in Birmingham (Jefferson County), on-exchange, before any subsidy. Per-age figures derived from the CMS QHP Landscape file using the HHS standardized age-rating curve (45 CFR 147.102).
| Tier | Cheapest age 40 monthly | Plans in Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | $433 | 1 |
| Bronze | $441 | 1 |
| Expanded Bronze | $467 | 16 |
| Silver | $625 | 21 |
| Gold | $711 | 15 |
The actual cheapest Bronze plan in Birmingham
UnitedHealthcare UHC Bronze Essential (No Referrals)
$441/moFor a family of four (two 40-year-olds and two kids under 14): UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company UHC Bronze Standard at $1,394/month before subsidies.
Carriers selling 2026 plans in Birmingham
4 carriers sell 2026 plans on Healthcare.gov for Jefferson County residents. 57 plans total in Jefferson County.
| Carrier | On-exchange plans |
|---|---|
| Ambetter | 18 |
| BlueCross BlueShield of Alabama | 14 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 13 |
| Oscar | 9 |
What you'll actually pay in Birmingham
Estimated monthly net premium for the cheapest Bronze plan above ($441/mo before subsidy) on Healthcare.gov, after federal APTC. APTC is computed against the Jefferson Countybenchmark Silver per 26 USC §36B. Approximate; exact net varies by plan's EHB% and child-rate structure.
Single 40-year-old
| Annual income | FPL % | Federal APTC | Cheapest Bronze net |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | 160% | $556/mo | $0/mo |
| $40,000 | 256% | $366/mo | $75/mo |
| $60,000 | 383% | $155/mo | $286/mo |
| $100,000 | 639% | — | $441/mo |
Family of 4 (two 40-year-olds, two children)
| Annual income | FPL % | Federal APTC | Cheapest Bronze net |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | 124% | $1,879/mo | $0/mo |
| $80,000 | 249% | $1,389/mo | $5/mo |
| $130,000 | 404% | — | $1,394/mo |
| $200,000 | 622% | — | $1,394/mo |
FPL = Federal Poverty Level. APTC = Advance Premium Tax Credit (the federal subsidy). Off-exchange and Catastrophic plans are not APTC-eligible. Enter your real income on the home page to see plan-specific net premium with the per-plan EHB-percent cap applied.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest ACA plan in Birmingham, Alabama for 2026?
The cheapest Bronze plan a 40-year-old can enroll in is UnitedHealthcare UHC Bronze Essential (No Referrals) at $441 per month before subsidies. Plans sell through Healthcare.gov. Birmingham is in Jefferson County, Alabama; carriers are licensed and rated at the county level. Data refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
Does Alabama use Healthcare.gov?
Yes. Alabama participates in the federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM), so enrollment and subsidy applications run through healthcare.gov. Alabama does not operate a state-based exchange for PY2026.
Has Alabama expanded Medicaid?
No. Alabama has not adopted ACA Medicaid expansion. Alabama Medicaid for non-disabled adults is very narrow (parents roughly below 18% FPL, pregnant women, and categorically needy groups), which leaves a large coverage gap for low-income working adults without children.
How big is the Alabama coverage gap?
Estimates range from roughly 100,000 to 200,000 Alabamians: adults earning below 100% FPL who are not eligible for Medicaid under state rules and therefore cannot receive federal premium tax credits either. Options include community health centers, hospital charity care, and county indigent-care programs.
More Alabama pricing
Sources
- HealthCare.gov for enrollment, OEP dates, and federal APTC / CSR application.
- Alabama Department of Insurance: Health Insurance for state regulatory oversight of individual-market filings and rate review.
- Alabama Medicaid Agency for state Medicaid eligibility categories under non-expansion rules.
- KFF: Alabama State Health Facts for Medicaid expansion status, coverage gap estimates, and enrollment counts.
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z. Full pricing pipeline + regulatory references at methodology; ACA terminology in the glossary.