There were 303,700 people without health insurance in Utah as of 2019, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), a healthcare nonprofit. That represents just under 10% of the state’s population. The nonprofit found in 2021 that of the people without coverage in the Beehive State, about 138,100 of them would qualify for a marketplace health plan.
Marketplace health insurance is the kind that has to follow the rules of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the country’s current healthcare law. These plans can’t deny coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, and they cover a set of 10 essential health benefits, like preventive care, rehabilitative care and prescription drugs.
The ACA also created tax credits, also known as premium subsidies, to help people with lower to moderate incomes buy health insurance. These credits are available to people earning 100% to 400% of the federal poverty level.
Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that of the marketplace-eligible people without health insurance in Utah, about 35% could get a bronze plan for free thanks to premium subsidies.
And speaking of bronze plans, KFF also calculated that the average lowest cost for marketplace bronze plans in Utah is $285 a month in 2021. Average lowest cost silver plans are $467 a month, while gold plans are $483 a month.
These averages don’t include any applied tax credits. If you qualify for a subsidy, you may pay less for coverage.
When we used our own marketplace, we found that a 40-year-old living in Cedar City, UT, and making $37,000 a year could find a bronze plan for a little over $80 a month. That amount includes subsidies.
Your actual cost and coverage depend on where you live in the state. In 2021, there are at least 5 insurers offering marketplace health insurance in Utah. Among them are Molina, Cigna and SelectHealth.
Sources
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Health Insurance Coverage of the Total Population”
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Marketplace Eligibility Among the Uninsured: Implications for a Broadened Enrollment Period and ACA Outreach” (January 27, 2021)
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Average Marketplace Premiums by Metal Tier, 2018-2021”
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Insurer Participation on the ACA Marketplaces, 2014-2021” (November 23, 2020)