Will Texas Help Pay for Your Health Insurance?
Answer two quick questions — how many people are in your household and about how much money you'll make this year — and this free tool shows whether the government is likely to help pay for your 2026 health insurance, how close you are to the cut-off where that help stops, and whether you might be stuck in the Texas "coverage gap." It's instant, private, and there's no sign-up.
Your numbers
These are just estimates. Nothing you type is sent anywhere — it all stays on your device.
Your best guess of the total everyone in your household will earn this year, before taxes.
If you're self-employed, you can usually subtract what you pay for health insurance from the income that counts. That can help you qualify. Put 0 if you're not sure.
Your estimate
Fill in your numbers and press See if I can get help paying. You'll see how your income compares to the government's income line, whether you're likely to get help paying, and how much room you have before the cut-off.
This is only an estimate — not an official decision or tax advice. It's based on the government's 2025 income guidelines, which are used for 2026 coverage in most of the U.S. Your real help also depends on plan prices in your county and the ages of the people covered, which this tool doesn't include. Double-check at HealthCare.gov or with a licensed advisor.
There's a cut-off where the help stops — and Texas has a second trap below it.
For 2026, the extra help that used to fade out slowly is gone. Now there's a hard line: if your household earns more than a certain amount, the government stops helping with your monthly bill completely — it doesn't just get smaller. For one person that line is about $62,600. For a family of four, it's about $128,600. Going even a little over can mean paying full price.
Texas also chose not to expand a program called Medicaid, which creates a second problem at the bottom. If you earn very little, you can get stuck in a coverage gap — earning too little for the government's help, but still not able to get Medicaid. Hundreds of thousands of Texans are caught there. That's why this tool checks both ends, and why a five-minute chat with a licensed advisor is worth it if you land near either one. And if you're self-employed, subtracting what you pay for health insurance can lower the income that counts and help you qualify.
Guides that go deeper
Avoiding the ACA Subsidy Cliff
Concrete ways Texans keep income under 400% of poverty and protect the credit.
Read the guide →1099 Income & Marketplace Subsidies
How self-employed Texans estimate income and use the premium deduction.
Read the guide →Self-Employed: How to Pick a Plan
Turning your estimate into the right Texas plan for your budget.
Read the guide →About this estimate
What income does this look at?
The marketplace looks at how much your whole household expects to earn this year and how many people are in it. This tool compares that to a government income line to estimate whether you're in the range that gets help paying (roughly the lower-to-middle income range for 2026). If you're self-employed, subtracting what you pay for health insurance lowers the income that counts, which can help you qualify.
What is the income cut-off (the "400% cliff") in 2026?
The extra pandemic-era help ended after 2025, so the older rule is back for 2026: if your household earns above a certain line, you usually get no help paying your monthly bill at all. For one person that line is about $62,600; for a family of four, about $128,600. Going even $1 over can mean losing all of the help, so it's worth knowing where you stand.
What is the Texas coverage gap?
Texas didn't expand Medicaid, so adults who earn below the low-income line often can't get Medicaid or the marketplace's help — a spot called the coverage gap. Hundreds of thousands of Texans are in it. If your estimate lands this low, it's worth talking to a licensed advisor about your options.
How accurate is this?
It's a planning estimate, not an official decision. It compares your income to the government's 2025 income guidelines (used for 2026 coverage in most of the U.S.). Your real help also depends on plan prices in your county and the ages of the people covered, which this tool doesn't include. Use it to see which side of the cut-off — or the coverage gap — you're on, then get exact numbers from a licensed advisor or HealthCare.gov.
See your real Texas number in 60 seconds.
This tool gets you close. A free, no-obligation review with a licensed Texas advisor gets you the exact plan and price for your county — and helps you use every credit you're owed.
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