Quick answer
Yes, you can buy a marketplace plan even if your employer offers coverage. But you can only get a premium tax credit to lower the cost if your job’s plan is unaffordable or doesn’t provide minimum value. For 2026, job-based coverage counts as affordable if your share for self-only coverage is no more than 9.96% of household income (10.22% in 2027).
Key takeaways
- Anyone can buy a marketplace plan, but tax credits depend on your job-based offer.
- An offer is unaffordable in 2026 if your self-only premium is more than 9.96% of household income.
- Family members can get tax credits if family coverage costs more than that share of income, even when your own coverage is affordable.
- If you’re enrolled in your job’s plan, you can’t get a marketplace tax credit.
- Turning down your job’s plan usually means losing the employer’s contribution and pre-tax payments.
On this page
How to tell if your job’s plan counts as affordable
Compare the monthly cost of the cheapest self-only plan your employer offers with this limit:
| Household income | Unaffordable in 2026 if your share is more than | Unaffordable in 2027 if more than |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | About $332 a month | About $341 a month |
| $50,000 | About $415 a month | About $426 a month |
| $75,000 | About $623 a month | About $639 a month |
The plan also needs to provide minimum value, meaning it pays at least 60% of covered costs and includes substantial hospital and doctor coverage. Most job-based plans do. HealthCare.gov has an employer coverage tool that helps you collect the information you need from your employer.
Family members and the family glitch fix
Since 2023, affordability for your spouse and children is judged by what you’d pay for family coverage, not just your own. If family coverage costs more than 9.96% of household income in 2026, your family members can get marketplace tax credits even if you keep your job’s plan.
Should you choose a marketplace plan?
Job-based coverage is usually the better deal: employers paid about 84% of single premiums in 2025, and your share usually comes out of your paycheck before taxes. A marketplace plan may make sense if:
- your employer’s plan is unaffordable and you qualify for a tax credit,
- your family members qualify for tax credits under the family glitch fix,
- your doctors aren’t in the employer plan’s network,
- your employer offers an individual coverage HRA, which pays toward an individual plan. See what is an ICHRA.
If you choose a marketplace plan, you’ll pay the premium after taxes unless you’re self-employed. See what a subsidy is in health insurance and what Obamacare is.
When you can switch
You can generally switch during the marketplace’s open enrollment (November 1 to January 15 on HealthCare.gov) or your employer’s open enrollment. If your job’s plan becomes unaffordable mid-year, or you lose it, you may qualify for a special enrollment period. Dropping job coverage on purpose doesn’t give you a marketplace enrollment window on its own. See can you drop your employer-sponsored health plan.
See what you’d pay on the marketplace: compare plans by ZIP code.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get Obamacare if my employer offers insurance?
Yes, you can buy a plan. You’ll only get a tax credit if the job-based offer is unaffordable or doesn’t meet minimum value.
What if I lie about my employer’s coverage to get a tax credit?
The marketplace checks employer coverage, and you’d have to repay credits you weren’t eligible for when you file your taxes. Knowingly giving false information can also bring penalties.
Does my spouse’s job-based offer affect my tax credit?
Yes. If you’re eligible for affordable coverage through a spouse’s job, you generally can’t get a tax credit.
Sources
This article is general information, not tax or insurance advice. Last reviewed September 2026.