Ohio
Cheapest ACA plans in Ohio for 2026
Cheapest Bronze plan in Ohio, before subsidies: Oscar Health Insurance Bronze Classic Standard in Butler County at $356/month for a 40-year-old; Oscar Health Insurance Bronze Classic Standard in Butler County at $1,138/month for a family of four (two 40-year-olds and two kids under 14). Ohio participates in Healthcare.gov, expanded Medicaid in 2014 under Gov. Kasich via the Controlling Board, and relies on federal APTC with no state premium subsidy.
Cheapest plans by metal tier
Lowest 2026 monthly premium for a single 40-year-old, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Expanded Bronze | $356 | 2,690 |
| Bronze | $406 | 314 |
| Silver | $482 | 3,139 |
| Gold | $482 | 2,895 |
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, before any subsidy. Catastrophic plans excluded because adults 30+ typically need a hardship-exemption certificate to enroll.
Cuyahoga County
$399/moAntidote Health Plan of Ohio, Inc. · Bronze Complete 4 $0 Tier-1 PCP Visits, $0 Antidote 24/7 Virtual PCP/Urg/Chronic Care, $0 Core Rx
Franklin County
$397/moOscar Health Insurance · Bronze Classic Standard
Hamilton County
$356/moOscar Health Insurance · Bronze Classic Standard
Summit County
$386/moAntidote Health Plan of Ohio, Inc. · Bronze Complete 4 $0 Tier-1 PCP Visits, $0 Antidote 24/7 Virtual PCP/Urg/Chronic Care, $0 Core Rx
Montgomery County
$389/moMedMutual · Bronze $8,300 w/ Virtual & Wellness ON-EX
Lucas County
$403/moAntidote Health Plan of Ohio, Inc. · Bronze Complete 4 $0 Tier-1 PCP Visits, $0 Antidote 24/7 Virtual PCP/Urg/Chronic Care, $0 Core Rx
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.
Cuyahoga County
$1,276/moAntidote Health Plan of Ohio, Inc. · Bronze Complete 4 $0 Tier-1 PCP Visits, $0 Antidote 24/7 Virtual PCP/Urg/Chronic Care, $0 Core Rx
Franklin County
$1,270/moOscar Health Insurance · Bronze Classic Standard
Hamilton County
$1,138/moOscar Health Insurance · Bronze Classic Standard
Summit County
$1,233/moAntidote Health Plan of Ohio, Inc. · Bronze Complete 4 $0 Tier-1 PCP Visits, $0 Antidote 24/7 Virtual PCP/Urg/Chronic Care, $0 Core Rx
Montgomery County
$1,244/moMedMutual · Bronze $8,300 w/ Virtual & Wellness ON-EX
Lucas County
$1,290/moAntidote Health Plan of Ohio, Inc. · Bronze Complete 4 $0 Tier-1 PCP Visits, $0 Antidote 24/7 Virtual PCP/Urg/Chronic Care, $0 Core Rx
Subsidies: federal APTC only (no state premium subsidy)
Ohio does not fund a supplemental state premium subsidy or §1332 reinsurance waiver. Marketplace financial help is federal only:
- Federal Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC). Households 100-400% FPL on the PY2026 standard ACA contribution curve, applied through Healthcare.gov. The ARPA / IRA enhanced subsidies expired 2025-12-31 and are not in effect for 2026, so the hard 400% FPL cliff is back.
- Federal cost-sharing reductions (CSRs). Households 100-250% FPL enrolled in a Silver plan receive reduced deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket maximums automatically.
Ohio adopted Medicaid expansion effective January 1, 2014, under Gov. John Kasich, who used the state's Controlling Board to approve expansion funding over legislative resistance. Adults 19-64 up to 138% FPL qualify regardless of parental status or disability, so there is no coverage gap in Ohio.
Catastrophic plans in Ohio follow federal rules
Ohio follows the federal ACA default: Catastrophic plans are available to enrollees under age 30, or at any age with a hardship / affordability exemption. The PY2026 federal auto-expansion applies: adults 30+ automatically qualify when the lowest-cost Bronze plan exceeds the affordability threshold. APTC does not apply to Catastrophic plans.
Tobacco surcharges follow the federal 1.5x default in Ohio
Ohio applies the federal ACA default (45 CFR 147.102): carriers may charge tobacco users up to 50% more than non-users (a 1.5-to-1 rate ratio). The Ohio Department of Insurance reviews rate filings under Ohio Rev. Code Title 39. No Ohio-specific cap below the federal 1.5x ceiling has been identified. Federal APTC does not offset the tobacco portion.
Carriers selling 2026 plans in Ohio
10 carriers sell 2026 plans on Healthcare.gov; 3 additional carriers offer off-exchange-only plans (not subsidy-eligible). 16,158 plans across 88 counties. Ohio has one of the more fragmented carrier maps among FFM states. CareSource, Medical Mutual of Ohio (Ohio-domiciled), and Anthem each reach all 88 counties. Molina, Ambetter (Celtic / Centene, also marketed as Buckeye Health Plan), Antidote Health Plan, Oscar, and UnitedHealthcare compete broadly across major metros (Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo, Akron). Paramount Insurance and SummaCare serve smaller regional markets. Exact county lineups vary; confirm on healthcare.gov.
| Carrier | On-exchange plans | Counties |
|---|---|---|
| CareSource | 1,760 | 88 |
| Molina | 1,757 | 80 |
| Ambetter | 1,152 | 72 |
| Medical Mutual | 1,056 | 88 |
| Anthem | 968 | 88 |
| Antidote Health Plan | 765 | 51 |
| Oscar | 720 | 63 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 714 | 58 |
| Paramount Insurance Company | 78 | 6 |
| Summa Insurance Company | 68 | 6 |
Also selling off-exchange only
These carriers sell plans directly (not through Healthcare.gov). Off-exchange plans are not eligible for federal APTC or state subsidies.
| Carrier | Off-exchange plans |
|---|---|
| Buckeye Health Plan Community Solutions, Inc. | 2,580 |
| Medical Mutual of Ohio | 1,232 |
| The Health Plan of West Virginia, Inc. | 88 |
Enrollment
Open Enrollment for 2026 coverage runs November 1, 2025 through January 15, 2026. Enroll by December 15 for a January 1 effective date; December 16 through January 15 takes effect February 1. Special Enrollment is available year-round for qualifying life events.
Direct enrollment: healthcare.gov.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest ACA plan in Ohio for 2026?
The cheapest Bronze-tier plan a 40-year-old can enroll in without paperwork is Oscar Health Insurance Bronze Classic Standard in Butler County at $356 per month before subsidies. Data refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
Does Ohio use Healthcare.gov?
Yes. Ohio participates in the federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM), so enrollment and subsidy applications run through healthcare.gov. Ohio does not operate a state-based exchange for PY2026.
Has Ohio expanded Medicaid?
Yes, effective January 1, 2014. Gov. John Kasich used the Ohio Controlling Board to approve Medicaid expansion funding over legislative resistance. Adults 19-64 up to 138% FPL qualify regardless of parental status or disability, so there is no coverage gap in Ohio.
Which carriers sell Marketplace plans in Ohio?
Ohio's carrier map is relatively fragmented. PY2026 participants include Medical Mutual of Ohio, CareSource, Ambetter / Buckeye Health Plan (Celtic / Centene), Oscar, Molina, Anthem, Antidote Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare, and Summa / Paramount in select metros. AultCare exited the OH individual market for PY2026. Lineup varies by county; confirm on healthcare.gov during Open Enrollment.
What happened to AultCare in Ohio?
AultCare is a regional Ohio health plan based in Canton, affiliated with Aultman Hospital. AultCare exited the Ohio individual market for PY2026; Stark County enrollees who previously held AultCare coverage will need to choose a different carrier on healthcare.gov during Open Enrollment.
Does Ohio have a state premium subsidy or reinsurance program?
No. Ohio does not fund a state premium subsidy or §1332 reinsurance waiver. Marketplace help is federal APTC and CSRs only, and the ARPA/IRA enhanced credits expired at the end of 2025.
Compare Ohio with other states
- Pennsylvania (shares a border)
- Michigan (shares a border)
- Indiana (shares a border)
- See all 51 jurisdictions side by side
Browse county pages in Ohio
County-level pricing pages with the cheapest plan in each county.
Browse city pages in Ohio
City-level pricing pages for major Ohio cities.
Carriers in Ohio
Per-carrier 2026 pricing pages with the cheapest plan from each carrier.
Sources
- HealthCare.gov for enrollment, OEP dates, and federal APTC / CSR application.
- Ohio Department of Insurance for rate review, carrier filings, and consumer guidance.
- Ohio Department of Medicaid for Ohio Medicaid eligibility and managed care plans.
- KFF: Ohio State Health Facts for Medicaid expansion, enrollment, and benchmark premium context.
- CMS 2026 OEP National Snapshot for federal Marketplace enrollment context.
- CMS QHP Landscape Individual Medical 2026 for plan availability, premiums, and metal tiers.
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z. Full pricing pipeline + regulatory references at methodology; ACA terminology in the glossary.