Quick answer
The 2026 national benchmark Marketplace plan for a 60-year-old runs about $1,327 a month before any tax credit, more than 2.7 times the price at 21. With a premium tax credit, someone earning $40,000 would still pay around $289 a month for that plan in 2027; earn just over 400% of the poverty level, about $63,840 for one person, and the bill jumps to the full $1,327. If you’re retiring before 65, that gap between subsidized and full price is one of the biggest numbers in your budget.
Key takeaways
- A 60-year-old’s 2026 benchmark plan averages about $1,327 a month nationally, versus $489 at 21.
- Crossing 400% of the poverty level costs a 60-year-old about $783 a month in lost tax credit, and the jump only gets bigger closer to 65.
- COBRA usually runs 18 months and can cost up to 102% of the full group premium, often more than a subsidized Marketplace plan.
- Retiring before 65 generally means the Marketplace or COBRA are your main options, since Medicare doesn’t start until 65.
- Medicare eligibility is still five years away at 60, so Marketplace coverage is likely to be a multi-year plan, not a short bridge.
On this page
What a 60-year-old pays before subsidies
Scaling KFF’s 2026 national benchmark premium ($625 a month for a 40-year-old) up to age 60 with the federal age curve puts the benchmark silver plan at about $1,327 a month before any tax credit, more than double the 40-year-old figure and nearly triple the 21-year-old’s.
| Age | Full-price benchmark plan, per month (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|
| 21 | $489 |
| 40 | $625 |
| 50 | $873 |
| 60 | $1,327 |
| 64 | $1,467 |
Retiring before 65 usually means the Marketplace or COBRA
Once employer coverage ends, most people under 65 choose between a Marketplace plan and COBRA. See what your options look like if you retire early for the fuller picture. COBRA lets you keep your old employer plan, but you pay the full cost yourself, up to 102% of the combined employer-and-employee premium, and it usually lasts up to 18 months. Using the 2025 national averages for employer coverage, 102% of a $9,325 single premium works out to about $793 a month, and 102% of a $26,993 family premium works out to about $2,294 a month, both before any change in your plan’s cost for 2026 or 2027. A subsidized Marketplace plan is often cheaper than that once your income qualifies for a real premium tax credit, though a full-price Marketplace plan at 60 can cost more than COBRA depending on your old employer’s plan.
Why the subsidy cliff hits hardest at 60
The premium tax credit disappears entirely above 400% of the poverty level, and because a 60-year-old’s full price is already so high, that cliff costs more in real dollars than it does at any younger working age.
| Yearly income | % of poverty level | What you’d pay per month |
|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | 157% | $96 |
| $40,000 | 251% | $289 |
| $60,000 | 376% | $511 |
| $70,000 | 439% | $1,327 |
Going from $60,000 to $70,000 in income only adds $10,000 to your paycheck, but it adds about $816 a month, nearly $9,800 a year, to your health insurance bill once you clear that line. That’s the single biggest reason early retirees pay close attention to their income in the years before Medicare. See how to lower your Marketplace premium for ways to manage income near that threshold.
Medicare is still five years away
At 60, Medicare eligibility is generally five years off, since it starts at 65 for most people. That means Marketplace coverage at this age is usually a multi-year plan rather than a short bridge, so the numbers above matter for longer than they would for someone turning 64. For what changes once you get closer to 65, see whether Obamacare coverage has to end at 65.
Why your state changes the price
KFF’s 2026 numbers put the benchmark plan as low as $401 a month in New Hampshire and as high as $1,299 in Vermont, which prices coverage the same at every age. New York does the same: its $817 benchmark doesn’t change with age either. Most other states, including the national figures above, scale price by age. See Florida’s guide for one example of a state where a lot of pre-Medicare retirees shop for coverage.
Health insurance costs at other ages: 26, 30, 40, 50 and 64, plus couples.
See 2027 plans and prices where you live: compare quotes by ZIP code.
Frequently asked questions
How much does health insurance cost for a 60-year-old?
The 2026 national benchmark plan for a 60-year-old runs about $1,327 a month before subsidies. A premium tax credit can cut that a lot if your income is under 400% of the poverty level.
Is COBRA or a Marketplace plan cheaper at 60?
It depends on your old employer’s plan and your income. COBRA can cost up to 102% of the full group premium, while a subsidized Marketplace plan is often cheaper if your income qualifies for a meaningful premium tax credit.
Why does losing the subsidy hurt more at 60 than at 30?
Because the age curve makes a 60-year-old’s full price much higher to start with, so losing the credit above 400% of the poverty level adds a bigger dollar amount to the bill.
Can a 60-year-old get Medicare early?
Only in specific cases, such as after 24 months of Social Security disability benefits, or with ALS or kidney failure. Otherwise, Medicare eligibility starts at 65.
Sources
- KFF: Average marketplace benchmark premiums by state
- IRS: Revenue Procedure 2026-26 (2027 premium tax credit percentages)
- healthinsurance.org: Federal poverty level (FPL)
- DOL: COBRA continuation coverage
- KFF: 2025 Employer Health Benefits Survey
- Peterson-KFF: How much and why ACA marketplace premiums are going up in 2027
This article is general information, not insurance or tax advice. Your actual premium depends on your state, county, insurer, exact income and old employer’s plan. Last reviewed September 2026.