The Marketplace Is Where Most Self-Employed Workers Start
Without an employer plan, the ACA Marketplace (healthcare.gov or your state's exchange) is the starting point for health insurance for the self-employed. Plans are tiered Bronze through Platinum, and subsidies based on your income can cut the premium significantly — often more than people expect before they actually check.
Check for Subsidies Before Assuming It's Too Expensive
Premium tax credits are based on your household income relative to the federal poverty line, and self-employed income volatility can actually work in your favor here — a lower-income year can mean a much lower premium. Re-check every year, since both your income and the subsidy formulas change.
Other Real Options Beyond the Marketplace
A spouse's employer plan, a health-sharing ministry (not insurance, and not for everyone, but real for some), or short-term plans as a stopgap are the other paths self-employed workers actually use. Each has real tradeoffs in coverage depth — read the fine print before assuming cheaper is comparable.
The Deduction That Makes This Cheaper Than It Looks
Self-employed health insurance premiums are deductible even if you don't itemize, directly reducing your taxable income. That deduction effectively lowers your real cost below the sticker price — factor it in before deciding a plan is unaffordable.