New Jersey
Cheapest ACA plans in New Jersey for 2026
Cheapest Bronze plan in New Jersey, before subsidies: AmeriHealth IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50 in Atlantic County at $451/month for a 40-year-old non-tobacco user; AmeriHealth IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50 in Atlantic County at $1,439/month for a family of four (two 40-year-olds and two kids under 14). On top of federal APTC, NJ Health Plan Savings reaches up to 600% FPL — one of the few remaining affordability levers for middle-income households now that federal enhanced credits have expired.
Cheapest plans by metal tier
Lowest 2026 monthly premium for a single 40-year-old non-tobacco user, 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 statewide |
|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | $341 | 42 |
| Expanded Bronze | $451 | 189 |
| Silver | $545 | 399 |
| Gold | $700 | 147 |
The actual cheapest plan in major counties
Same data the search returns: carrier, plan name, monthly premium, individual deductible, individual MOOP. Computed for a single 40-year-old non-tobacco user, before any subsidy. Catastrophic plans excluded because adults 30+ typically need a hardship-exemption certificate to enroll.
Bergen County
$451/moAmeriHealth · IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50
Middlesex County
$451/moAmeriHealth · IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50
Essex County
$451/moAmeriHealth · IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50
Hudson County
$451/moAmeriHealth · IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50
Ocean County
$451/moAmeriHealth · IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50
Monmouth County
$451/moAmeriHealth · IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50
The actual cheapest plan for a family of four
Two 40-year-old adults and two kids in the 0-14 age band, before any subsidy. Carrier, plan name, premium, deductible, and MOOP exactly as the search would return them.
Bergen County
$1,439/moAmeriHealth · IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50
Middlesex County
$1,439/moAmeriHealth · IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50
Essex County
$1,439/moAmeriHealth · IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50
Hudson County
$1,439/moAmeriHealth · IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50
Ocean County
$1,439/moAmeriHealth · IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50
Monmouth County
$1,439/moAmeriHealth · IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50
Subsidies stack: federal APTC + NJ Health Plan Savings
Three price-reduction layers apply on Get Covered New Jersey for PY2026:
- Federal Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC). Households 100-400% FPL, standard ACA contribution curve with a hard 400% FPL cliff. The ARPA / IRA enhanced subsidies expired 2025-12-31 and are not in effect for 2026.
- NJ Health Plan Savings (NJHPS). Tax households up to 600% FPL (individual ~$93,900, family of four ~$192,900 for 2026) get an additional state subsidy layered on top of APTC. Per-person benefit runs roughly $20-$100 per month, delivered as advance premium reduction at enrollment. NJHPS does not reduce APTC.
- NJ Health Insurance Premium Security Plan (§1332 reinsurance). Federal waiver through 2028. Pays a share of high-cost individual-market claims, pulling statewide premiums down by roughly 15% before any subsidy. No application needed — every posted premium is already net of reinsurance.
New Jersey individual mandate and Shared Responsibility Payment
Since 2019, New Jersey has had its own state individual mandate under the Health Insurance Market Preservation Act (N.J.S.A. 54A:11-1 et seq.). If you go uncovered without an exemption, you owe a Shared Responsibility Payment on Schedule NJ-HCC of your NJ-1040: the greater of $695 per adult plus $347.50 per child (household cap $2,085) or 2.5% of household income above the NJ filing threshold. The payment is capped at the statewide average annual premium for Bronze plans in New Jersey — use NJ Treasury's HIMPA calculator for your TY2026 number. Mandate revenue funds the reinsurance program and NJHPS.
Catastrophic plans in New Jersey follow federal rules
New Jersey follows the federal ACA default: Catastrophic coverage is available to enrollees under age 30, or at any age with an approved affordability or hardship exemption. The PY2026 federal hardship expansion automatically extends eligibility to consumers with projected income below 100% FPL or above 400% FPL. Neither APTC nor NJHPS applies to Catastrophic plans.
Tobacco surcharges are prohibited in New Jersey
New Jersey's Individual Health Coverage Program rules (N.J.S.A. 17B:27A-4 and N.J.A.C. 11:20) enumerate the permissible rating variables — age, geographic rating area, and family composition — and do not include tobacco use. Carriers cannot apply a tobacco surcharge in the individual market, so every NJ ACA enrollee pays the same price whether or not they use tobacco.
Carriers selling 2026 plans in New Jersey
5 carriers, 1,239 plans across 21 counties. 777 sold on Get Covered New Jersey, 462 off-exchange-only direct from carriers. Off-exchange plans aren't eligible for federal APTC or NJ Health Plan Savings.
| Carrier | Plans (on + off exchange) |
|---|---|
| AmeriHealth | 357 |
| Horizon BlueCross BlueShield of New Jersey | 315 |
| Oscar | 252 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 168 |
| Ambetter | 147 |
Enrollment
Open Enrollment for 2026 coverage ran November 1, 2025 through January 31, 2026 (NJ extends 15 days past the federal window). Enroll by December 31, 2025 for January 1 coverage; enrollments from January 1 through January 31 take effect February 1. Special Enrollment is available year-round for qualifying life events.
Direct enrollment: nj.gov/getcoverednj.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest ACA plan in New Jersey for 2026?
The cheapest Bronze-tier plan a 40-year-old non-tobacco user can enroll in without paperwork is AmeriHealth IHC Bronze EPO HSA AmeriHealth Advantage $25/$50 in Atlantic County at $451 per month before subsidies. Data refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
Does New Jersey require me to have health insurance?
Yes. Since 2019 NJ has had its own individual mandate under the Health Insurance Market Preservation Act. If you go without minimum essential coverage and don't qualify for an exemption, you owe a Shared Responsibility Payment when you file your NJ-1040: the greater of $695 per adult (plus $347.50 per child, household max $2,085) or 2.5% of household income above the NJ filing threshold, capped at NJ's statewide average Bronze plan annual premium.
What is NJ Health Plan Savings and how does it stack with federal subsidies?
NJHPS is a state premium subsidy that goes on top of your federal premium tax credit. Households up to 600% of the Federal Poverty Level can qualify (individual up to ~$93,900, family of four up to ~$192,900 for 2026). You must enroll through Get Covered NJ to receive it. It does not reduce your federal APTC; it's added on top, and it's especially valuable for middle-income households now that federal enhanced premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025.
Will I pay more for my plan in New Jersey if I smoke?
No. New Jersey is one of a handful of states that prohibits tobacco surcharges on individual ACA plans. Under NJ's Individual Health Coverage Program rules (N.J.S.A. 17B:27A and N.J.A.C. 11:20), tobacco status is not an allowable rating factor. Every NJ ACA carrier must quote you the same rate whether or not you use tobacco.
Why are NJ premiums cheaper than they otherwise would be?
NJ operates a state reinsurance program under a federal Section 1332 waiver (approved through 2028). The program pays a share of high-cost individual-market claims, which reduces premiums by about 15% below what they would otherwise be. It's funded by a mix of federal pass-through dollars, NJ's individual-mandate penalty revenue, and a 2.75% assessment on certain insurer premiums.
Can I use Healthcare.gov to enroll in New Jersey?
No. New Jersey runs its own state-based exchange, Get Covered New Jersey, at nj.gov/getcoverednj. HealthCare.gov redirects NJ residents to the state marketplace, which is the only site that applies NJ Health Plan Savings on top of federal APTC.
Sources
- Get Covered New Jersey for SBE enrollment, OEP dates, and NJ Health Plan Savings.
- NJ Treasury — Shared Responsibility Payment for individual mandate penalty structure and TY2026 Bronze-cap estimator.
- NJ DOBI — Section 1332 Reinsurance Waiver for the state reinsurance program design and federal approval.
- NJ Administrative Code Title 11 Chapter 20 — IHC Program for the rating-factor enumeration that excludes tobacco.
- CMS QHP Landscape Individual Medical 2026 for plan availability, premiums, and metal tiers.
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z. Methodology and full data attribution at about.