California
Cheapest ACA plans in San Francisco, California for 2026
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
San Francisco is in San Francisco County, California. 4 carriers sell 2026 ACA plans on Covered California for residents of San Francisco County, and the cheapest Bronze plan a 40-year-old can enroll in starts at $564/month before any subsidy. Carriers are licensed and rated at the county level, so the plans below cover everyone in San Francisco County, including San Francisco.
Cheapest plans by metal tier
Lowest 2026 monthly premium for a single 40-year-old in San Francisco (San Francisco 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 San Francisco County |
|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | $404 | 4 |
| Expanded Bronze | $564 | 8 |
| Silver | $710 | 5 |
| Gold | $730 | 6 |
| Platinum | $864 | 5 |
The actual cheapest Bronze plan in San Francisco
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. Bronze 60 HDHP HMO
$564/moFor a family of four (two 40-year-olds and two kids under 14): Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. Bronze 60 HDHP HMO at $1,804/month before subsidies.
Carriers selling 2026 plans in San Francisco
4 carriers sell 2026 plans on Covered California for San Francisco County residents; 1 additional carrier offers off-exchange-only plans (not subsidy-eligible). 45 plans total in San Francisco County.
| Carrier | On-exchange plans |
|---|---|
| California Physicians' Service, dba Blue Shield of California | 9 |
| Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. | 7 |
| Anthem Blue Cross (DMHC) | 6 |
| Chinese Community Health Plan | 6 |
Also selling off-exchange only
These carriers sell plans directly (not through Covered California). Off-exchange plans are not eligible for federal APTC or state subsidies.
| Carrier | Off-exchange plans |
|---|---|
| Sutter Health Plan | 4 |
What you'll actually pay in San Francisco
Estimated monthly net premium for the cheapest Bronze plan above ($564/mo before subsidy) on Covered California, after federal APTC and California Premium Subsidy Program. APTC is computed against the San Francisco 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 | State subsidy | Cheapest Bronze net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | 160% | $632/mo | — | $0/mo |
| $40,000 | 256% | $442/mo | — | $122/mo |
| $60,000 | 383% | $231/mo | — | $333/mo |
| $100,000 | 639% | — | — | $564/mo |
Family of 4 (two 40-year-olds, two children)
| Annual income | FPL % | Federal APTC | State subsidy | Cheapest Bronze net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | 124% | — | $1,804/mo | Medicaid likely |
| $80,000 | 249% | $1,769/mo | — | $35/mo |
| $130,000 | 404% | — | — | $1,804/mo |
| $200,000 | 622% | — | — | $1,804/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 San Francisco, California for 2026?
The cheapest Bronze plan a 40-year-old can enroll in is Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. Bronze 60 HDHP HMO at $564 per month before subsidies. Plans sell through Covered California. San Francisco is in San Francisco County, California; carriers are licensed and rated at the county level. Data refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
How does San Francisco's 2026 ACA pricing compare to other California cities?
Cheapest Bronze for a 40-year-old in San Francisco is $564 per month before subsidies. For comparison: Los Angeles at $347/mo; San Diego at $421/mo; San Jose at $492/mo. Different cities can have different cheapest plans because plans are sold per county and carrier participation varies by jurisdiction.
Does California have a state premium subsidy on top of the federal APTC?
Yes. The Covered California Premium Subsidy Program for 2026 covers households between 100 and 165 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. At 100 to 150 percent FPL, the benchmark Silver plan costs zero dollars. At 150 to 165 percent FPL, household contribution is between 3.19 and 3.91 percent of income for benchmark Silver. The state subsidy adds on top of the federal Advance Premium Tax Credit, not in place of it.
Are tobacco surcharges allowed in California ACA plans?
No. California prohibits tobacco-use surcharges in the individual market. The federal ACA permits up to a 1.5x tobacco premium multiplier; California Insurance Code section 10112.45 overrides that and bars insurers from rating premiums on tobacco use.
Can a 30-year-old enroll in a Catastrophic plan in California?
Only with a Covered California hardship-exemption certificate. Federal law restricts Catastrophic to under-30s by default. The federal 2026 expansion lets older adults enroll automatically when premiums exceed an affordability threshold; California has not adopted that automatic expansion. Adults 30 and over in California must apply for the Covered California hardship exemption before enrolling, with eligibility judged against California's own affordability standard.
More California pricing
- Statewide California pricing and metal tiers
- Los Angeles pricingcheapest Bronze $347/mo
- San Diego pricingcheapest Bronze $421/mo
- San Jose pricingcheapest Bronze $492/mo
Sources
- Covered California 2026 Individual Rates and program documents for state subsidy formula and OEP dates.
- CMS QHP Landscape Individual Medical 2026 for plan availability, premiums, and metal tiers.
- California Insurance Code §10112.45 for the tobacco-surcharge prohibition.
- 45 CFR 147.102 for the HHS standardized age-rating curve.
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z. Full pricing pipeline + regulatory references at methodology; ACA terminology in the glossary.