Best Cheap Health Insurance in Mississippi for 2026
Ambetter from Magnolia Health has the best health insurance in Mississippi. Its Silver plans start at $598 per month before discounts.
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Best and cheapest health insurance in Mississippi
Cheapest health insurance companies in Mississippi
Oscar, Ambetter from Magnolia Health and Cigna have the cheapest health insurance plans in MS, with Silver rates as low as $598 per month before discounts.
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Affordable health insurance in Mississippi
Company |
Cost
| |
|---|---|---|
| Oscar | $598-$649 |
| Ambetter | $653-$773 |
| Cigna | $655-$720 |
| UnitedHealthcare | $757-$913 |
- Oscar has the cheapest health insurance rates in Mississippi, with Silver plans starting at $598 per month. Oscar also has the cheapest Silver rates in several major cities, including Jackson, Southaven and Olive Branch.
- However, Ambetter has the cheapest Silver health insurance plans for over half of Mississippi's population, including in Hattiesburg and Tupelo.
- Bronze plans are cheaper than Silver plans, but they pay a smaller share of your medical bills. Silver plans are the best option for most people, even though they cost a bit more each month.
Lowest deductibles: UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare plans have the lowest deductibles, on average, which means your health insurance starts covering services faster.
UnitedHealthcare Silver plans have an average deductible of $4,000. That means you have to pay the first $4,000 of your medical bills each year before your medical insurance plan starts paying. That's lower than the average deductible in the state, which is $4,913.
Your health insurance will pay for some services, such as annual checkups, before you hit your deductible. If you go to the doctor often or have complex medical needs, choosing a low-deductible plan can help you save overall.
Best health insurance companies in Mississippi
Ambetter from Magnolia Health sells the best health insurance plans in Mississippi.
The company has a perfect 5-star rating for customer experience from HealthCare.gov. That means Ambetter customers find it easy to set appointments and see their doctor. It also measures the quality of care you get, meaning Ambetter customers are generally satisfied with the services covered by their plan.
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Best-rated health insurance companies in Mississippi
Company |
ACA rating
|
VP rating
|
|---|---|---|
| Ambetter | ||
| Molina | ||
| UnitedHealthcare | ||
| Cigna | ||
| Oscar | N/A |
Ambetter from Magnolia Health gets 38% fewer complaints about its medical insurance plans compared to an average company its size, which means most people probably have a good experience with the company.
Plus, Ambetter from Magnolia Health has a helpful online resource center for members, with info about health screenings, maternity and postpartum care, mental health support and more. The company also offers a Caregiving Collaborations program to help support caregivers. The program can provide emotional support, help coordinate health care for someone else, and assist with chores, finances and personal care.
But you should call your doctors to make sure they take Ambetter before you buy a plan. Some customers say the company has a doctor network that is too small. If your doctors take Ambetter, it's a great choice, but it's a good idea to confirm before you buy.
How much does health insurance cost in Mississippi?
Health insurance in Mississippi costs an average of $756 per month at full price or might cost around $85 per month if you get discounts based on your income.
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- Your age has a big impact on the cost of health insurance. A 40-year-old choosing a Silver plan pays an average of 28% more per month than a 21-year-old. That's $164 more per month.
- Monthly premiums go up fast after age 40. A 60-year-old pays more than twice as much as a 40-year-old — an extra $850 per month for a Silver plan, on average.
Health insurance discount changes in Mississippi for 2026
Mississippi health insurance is expected to cost about $85 per month if you qualify for discounts based on your income.
That's more than three times higher compared to the cost of health insurance after discounts in 2025, which was about $19 per month in Mississippi. That's because discounts probably won't save you as much in 2026 as they have in previous years, unless Congress extends the "enhanced subsidies" that have been in place since 2021.
Health insurance rates in Mississippi after subsidies (2025 vs. 2026)
Income | 2025 rate | 2026 rate | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $49 | $155 | 216% |
| $40,000 | $154 | $287 | 86% |
| $50,000 | $283 | $415 | 47% |
| $60,000 | $423 | $498 | 18% |
| $70,000+ | $485 | $662 | 36% |
Average cost after subsidies for a single 40-year-old with a Benchmark Silver plan.
- What subsidies are: Subsidies are discounts that lower the cost of your monthly health insurance rate. Eligibility is based on your income. You'll get a cheaper quote if you make less.
- How to qualify: If you make between $15,650 and $62,600 per year as an individual, you'll get the discount that makes your health insurance plan cheaper each month. However, eligibility for subsidies could change in the next few months.
- How to use subsidies: You can use a rate subsidy to lower the cost of any metal-tier plan. In Mississippi, that's Bronze, Silver and Gold plans. You can use a subsidy for a plan from any company.
- What you'll pay: You can use ValuePenguin's subsidy calculator to estimate your monthly cost after discounts. But if you can get Medicaid, you won't be able to get subsidies on a marketplace plan.
If you get rate discounts, you can probably also get another type of discount that lowers what you pay when you visit a doctor.
Cheap Mississippi health insurance plans by city
Oscar sells the cheapest health insurance in Jackson, Mississippi, with Silver rates starting at $634 per month.
Oscar also has the most affordable quotes in Southaven and Olive Branch, both Memphis suburbs. But Ambetter has the cheapest rates for over half of Mississippi's population.
Cheapest health insurance plans by MS county
County | Cheapest plan | Monthly rates |
|---|---|---|
| Adams | Ambetter Standard Silver | $684 |
| Alcorn | Ambetter Standard Silver | $684 |
| Amite | Ambetter Standard Silver | $684 |
| Attala | Ambetter Standard Silver | $684 |
| Benton | Oscar Silver Simple | $640 |
Cheapest Silver plan with rates for a 40-year-old
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Best health insurance plan by level of coverage
The best health insurance for you depends on how much medical care you expect to need in the upcoming year.
Generally, if you're young and typically healthy, choosing a Bronze plan can help you save money overall, even if it means paying for more of your medical care when you need it. If you expect to need surgery or are managing a chronic health condition, it's usually worth it to pay more for a Gold plan that gives you better coverage.
When shopping for affordable health insurance, Silver plans are a good choice for most people because they balance how much you pay for a plan versus the coverage you have for medical care.
Gold plans: Best if you have high medical costs
| Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care. |
Gold plans cost an average of $944 per month in Mississippi.
In Mississippi, Gold plans are the highest level of coverage. They have the most expensive quotes, but they also pay for more of your medical bills. Gold plans can help make health care more affordable if you need ongoing treatment or expensive prescriptions, or if you're having a baby.
If you have a Gold plan in Mississippi, you'll have to pay an average of $1,491 toward your medical bills each year before your plan starts to chip in. Overall, Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care.
Silver plans: Best for most people
| Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care. |
You'll pay an average of $756 per month for a Silver plan in Mississippi.
Silver plans are a middle-of-the-road option, making them a good choice for most people. Quotes are affordable, and the coverage for health expenses is better than what you'll get with a Bronze plan. Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care.
But you'll pay $4,913 per year, on average, with a Silver plan before your plan starts to pay. Because the deductible is high, it's important to have emergency savings in case you have to pay it all at once.
Bronze plans: Best for young, healthy people
| Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. |
Bronze plans cost an average of $648 per month in Mississippi.
Bronze plans have the cheapest quotes in Mississippi, on average. But you'll also have to pay the most for your medical care because of the high deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. On average, you have to pay for $7,312 of your medical care before your plan starts paying.
Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. But they still give you free checkups and preventive care, so they're a good deal if you don't expect to go to the doctor often. They're also a good choice if you have the emergency savings to cover a large, unexpected medical bill.
Cheap or free health insurance in Mississippi if you have a low income
If you can't afford to pay for a health plan, Medicaid can be a good option. And if you struggle to pay for medical care even with health insurance, consider buying a Silver plan. You might get an extra discount that could help.
Medicaid in Mississippi
Medicaid is a government program that gives you free health insurance if you have a low income.
But Mississippi hasn't expanded its Medicaid program, which makes it harder to qualify than it is in other states. You have to have a low income and meet another requirement, such as being a parent or having a disability.
Use cost-sharing reductions for cheaper medical care
| Silver plans will pay 73% to 94% of your medical costs if you have a low income. |
If you make between $15,650 and $39,125 per year as an individual or between $32,150 and $80,375 per year as a family of four, a Silver plan is probably your best choice. Not only do you likely qualify for rate subsidies that lower your monthly health insurance cost, but you will also probably qualify for another discount, called cost-sharing reductions, that lower how much you pay for medical care.
Cost-sharing reductions are only available on Silver plans, but they can make your coverage even better than a Gold plan. And nearly everyone who shops on HealthCare.gov in Mississippi qualifies for cost-sharing reductions, which could explain why Silver plans are the most popular option in the state. A Silver plan with cost-sharing reductions pays for between 73% and 94% of your medical bills, on average.
Are health insurance rates going up in MS in 2026?
Health insurance rates in Mississippi went up by an average of 41% in 2025.
Gold plans had the biggest increase, at 46% more in 2026 compared to 2025, while Bronze plans went up the least, at 36% more. Silver plans, the most popular plan tier in Mississippi, cost 42% more in 2026 than in 2025. Since 2022, Silver plans have gone up by 48%.
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $413 | – |
| 2023 | $452 | 9% |
| 2024 | $473 | 5% |
| 2025 | $475 | 0% |
| 2026 | $648 | 36% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old. Expanded Bronze plans are included in 2024, 2025 and 2026 averages, when they're offered.
Bronze
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $413 | – |
| 2023 | $452 | 9% |
| 2024 | $473 | 5% |
| 2025 | $475 | 0% |
| 2026 | $648 | 36% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old. Expanded Bronze plans are included in 2024, 2025 and 2026 averages, when they're offered.
Silver
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $511 | – |
| 2023 | $499 | -2% |
| 2024 | $511 | 2% |
| 2025 | $533 | 4% |
| 2026 | $756 | 42% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Gold
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $622 | – |
| 2023 | $613 | -1% |
| 2024 | $638 | 4% |
| 2025 | $647 | 1% |
| 2026 | $944 | 46% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Why is health insurance expensive in Mississippi in 2026?
Health insurance in Mississippi is getting more expensive because of rising health care costs and expiring tax credits.
The steep increase in medical insurance rates is driven mainly by higher health care costs, more expensive prescription drug prices (including more widespread use of weight loss drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic), general inflation and expiring Covid-era expanded health insurance subsidies.
How to save on Mississippi health insurance in 2026
- Shop around and get quotes from several companies to find the cheapest rates in your area. Switching plans could save you thousands of dollars per year.
- Consider switching to a more affordable plan tier, such as a Bronze or Silver plan, if you're young and usually in good health.
- Get a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) to lower your monthly rate and open a health savings account (HSA) to save on your taxes.
- Check to see if you can get Medicaid, which is a type of free government health insurance for people with low incomes.
Essential health services for Mississippi health insurance
If you want to buy Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage, also called "Obamacare" coverage, in Mississippi, you'll shop on HealthCare.gov. You can buy plans between Nov. 1 and Jan. 15 each year. You might qualify to buy a plan at another time if you have recently gotten married, moved, lost your job or experienced another life change.
If you buy a plan from the marketplace on HealthCare.gov, you'll have coverage for at least 10 common medical situations.
- Doctor visits
- Preventive and wellness care
- Emergency care
- Hospital stays
- Prescription medications
- Lab services
- Pregnancy and baby care
- Pediatric care
- Mental health care
- Rehab services
The plan level you buy determines how much coverage you have. Lower-tier plans pay for less of your medical bills, while higher-tier plans pay for more. So if you need to go to the emergency room, your plan will pay part of your bill, whether it's a Bronze, Silver or Gold plan. However, a Gold plan will pay for a bigger share of the bill than a Bronze plan will.
Average cost of health insurance plan by family size in Mississippi
Health insurance in Mississippi costs an average of $2,265 per month for a family of four.
The larger your family is, the more you'll pay for medical insurance. The cost to insure a child under age 21 on a Silver plan in Mississippi is $376 per month.
Family size | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Individual | $756 |
| Individual and child | $1,132 |
| Couple | $1,513 |
| Family of three | $1,889 |
| Family of four | $2,265 |
Averages based on a Silver plan for 40-year-old adults and children who are under age 21.
COBRA insurance plan in Mississippi
In Mississippi, COBRA costs $702 per month for an individual and $2,087 per month for a family.
COBRA could be a cheap option in Mississippi. If you buy a Silver plan on HealthCare.gov for yourself, you'll pay an average of $756 per month. For a family of three to five, the cost is between $1,889 and $2,640 per month.
COBRA lets you keep the health insurance you had from your job for up to a year and a half after you leave. But once you leave, quit or retire from your job, your employer won't help pay for your medical insurance. You have to pay the full price with COBRA.
Short-term health insurance plans in Mississippi
In January 2025, the Trump administration reversed a new rule that would have capped the length of a short-term health policy at three months. Currently, there's no set date for when these changes will start. But, short-term health plans could be available in Mississippi for up to 364 days at some point soon.
Short-term health insurance plans in Mississippi can give you temporary coverage, which can be helpful if you're between jobs or you missed open enrollment.
But short-term medical insurance isn't always the best option. You'll usually get better coverage if you buy a plan from HealthCare.gov, and you can cancel those plans at any time without a penalty.
Pros of short-term health insurance plans in Mississippi
Cons of short-term health insurance plans in Mississippi
Health insurance enrollment by income level in Mississippi
More than 6 in 10 people in Mississippi with a plan from HealthCare.gov make $20,783 or less per year.
This is particularly concerning when you consider that people with low incomes are going to struggle with the rate hikes and discount changes in 2026. It's more likely that people with low incomes are going to drop health insurance entirely if rates go up too much.
Enrollment by income
Income | % of total enrollment |
|---|---|
| Less than $15,060 | 1% |
| $15,060 to $20,783 | 62% |
| $20,784 to $22,590 | 14% |
| $22,591 to $30,120 | 14% |
| $30,121 to $37,650 | 4% |
Enrollment in 2025 marketplace plans made during the 2024-2025 Open Enrollment period. Total may not be 100% due to rounding
Frequently asked questions
Is $200 a month expensive for health insurance in Mississippi?
No, $200 per month is much less than the average cost of health insurance in Mississippi without discounts, called subsidies. On average, you'll pay an average of $756 per month for a Silver plan if you're 40, or $592 per month for a Silver plan if you're 21. You might get a plan for around $200 or less if you get ACA subsidies.
How much is Obamacare in MS?
Obamacare health insurance plans in Mississippi cost an average of $756 per month in 2026, for a 40-year-old buying a Silver plan. However, health insurance subsidies can help you get a cheaper rate if you have a low income.
Does Mississippi have free health insurance?
Depending on your income, you may be able to get free or affordable health insurance plans in Mississippi by shopping on HealthCare.gov and applying for tax credits, which are also called subsidies. You can also get free health insurance if you're eligible for Mississippi's Medicaid program, sometimes called MississippiCAN. To qualify, you'll usually need to have a low income and be a parent, pregnant or disabled.
Is Ambetter good in Mississippi?
Ambetter from Magnolia Health has the best health insurance in Mississippi. It sells good-quality coverage and has good customer service. But Ambetter's network of doctors can be limited. It's a good idea to make sure your doctor takes Ambetter before buying a plan.
Are subsidies going away in 2026?
Subsidies probably aren't going away entirely, but they could drastically change. Congress is currently debating what will happen to subsidies in 2026. If they don't act by the end of 2025, the discounts will not be as big next year, but they'll still save you money.
Methodology
Mississippi health insurance rate data for 2026 is from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website. ValuePenguin used the CMS public use files (PUFs) to find average rates for different plan tiers, geographic locations and family sizes.
Rates
Rates are based on a 40-year-old with a Silver plan, unless otherwise noted. Rates for Bronze plans include regular and Expanded Bronze plans for 2024, 2025 and 2026, when the plans are available. Your costs and plan options will vary; plans aren't always available in all parts of a state or county.
Subsidies
Rates after subsidies are estimates for a 40-year-old with a Benchmark Silver plan and are based on how subsidies were structured before 2021. Prices are calculated using KFF's rates for full-price Benchmark plans, federal poverty levels (FPLs), IRS rules about premium tax credits and Congressional reports about expanded tax credits. The total cost in the state uses rates calculated by income, which are weighted using CMS data on the incomes of those who purchased plans during last year's open enrollment. The median was used for each income range. Unknown incomes were excluded from the calculations. Incomes of 100% of the federal poverty line and 500% of the federal poverty line were assumed for enrollees who earn less than 100% FPL and more than 500% FPL, respectively. Information about state subsidies, when available, was sourced from state marketplaces.
Ratings
ValuePenguin's experts rank companies based on cost, coverage options, customer satisfaction and unique value. Ratings are out of 100 possible points. ACA ratings show how the company performs in Mississippi for medical care, member experience and plan administration. This 2026 plan quality data from CMS is based on data from last year. Ratings are not available for new plans or plans with low enrollment.
More sources
Enrollment trends, including plan selections by tier and enrollment by income, are from CMS data for the 2025 open enrollment period.
Info on why health insurance rates are going up in Mississippi is from the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker. Other sources include KFF, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and S&P Global Capital IQ.
Insurance Writer
Cate Deventer is a ValuePenguin writer who specializes in health insurance, Medicare, auto and home insurance. She's been a licensed insurance agent since 2011.
She started her insurance career working as a customer service agent for State Farm. She later moved to an independent agency, where she worked with several insurance companies and hundreds of clients. She quoted policies, filed claims and answered insurance questions. In 2021, she pivoted her career and began writing about insurance for Bankrate. She moved to ValuePenguin in 2023 and began writing about health insurance and Medicare.
Cate has a passion for helping readers choose insurance to fit their needs. She enjoys knowing that her research and knowledge help people choose insurance products that make a positive difference in their lives.
How insurance helped Cate
Cate used her health insurance knowledge to navigate a surgery in 2023. Understanding how her policy worked let her focus on recovery instead of worrying about bills.
Expertise
- Health insurance
- Medicare & Medicaid
- Auto insurance
- Home insurance
- Life insurance
Credentials
- Licensed Life, Accident & Health Insurance Agent
- Licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Agent
Referenced by
- CBS
- NBC
- Wall Street Journal
Education
- BA, Theatre, Purdue University
- BA, English, Indiana University
Editorial note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.
