Ranked 1 of 15 states · median $558/mo · CMS PY2026
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A 40-year-old barber in Indiana pays a median $558/month for a Silver plan before subsidies — the cheapest of the states covered here. The cheapest plan in the state is $440 from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Daviess. On median Silver premium, Indiana ranks 1 of 15 for this occupation.
Patient-facing and standing work means steady, predictable utilization — regular visits, prescriptions, physical therapy. Copay structure and network breadth drive real annual cost more than the headline premium, so these pages rank states on median premium and carrier count together.
Occupational context: Repetitive shoulder/wrist strain; prolonged standing; chemical exposure.
Worth being clear about what this does and does not affect: a carrier in Indiana cannot ask what you do for a living, cannot charge a barber more than a librarian of the same age in the same ZIP, and cannot exclude anything you were already treated for. Occupation only tells you which plan structure to shop for.
Premium is set by rating area, so a barber in one Indiana county can pay materially more than one an hour away. Six counties from across the state, cheapest Silver plan for a 40-year-old:
| County | Cheapest Silver @40 | Issuer | Deductible | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitley | $509 | Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | $7,000 | 3 |
| Perry | $440 | Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | $7,000 | 3 |
| Starke | $452 | Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | $7,000 | 3 |
| Tipton | $454 | Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | $7,000 | 3 |
| Hancock | $457 | Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | $7,000 | 5 |
| Newton | $460 | Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | $7,000 | 3 |
The spread across just these six is $69/month — $824 a year for the same metal tier. Statewide the range runs $440 to $699. Coverage by County publishes all 92 Indiana counties individually.
| Indiana — network and cost | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Median Silver premium @40 | $558 |
| Cheapest Silver @40 | $440 — Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (Daviess) |
| Most expensive Silver @40 | $699 |
| Carriers filing in the state | 5 — Ambetter Health, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, CareSource, Cigna Healthcare |
| Plan types available | EPO, HMO, POS |
| Counties with only one carrier | 0 of 92 |
Indiana has 5 carriers filing and 0 of 92 counties served by a single issuer. For a barber with an established provider relationship, that carrier count is the number that decides whether you keep your doctor.
Source: CMS Plan Year 2026 Qualified Health Plan Landscape file. 4,429 plan records across 92 Indiana counties. Full-price filed rates before premium tax credits — verify at enrollment.
Nothing on this list is cheaper. More expensive: Ohio ($625), South Carolina ($636), Alabama ($680).
Side-by-side: Indiana vs Ohio · Indiana vs South Carolina
Cross-state numbers are useful for understanding whether Indiana is treating you well, not for arbitrage. You cannot buy an out-of-state exchange plan. If you are a barber weighing a relocation for other reasons, the premium difference is a real line item worth putting in the decision.
Expense categories that typically apply to this trade: Chair rental, clippers, products, licensing. Premiums are generally deductible above the line under IRC §162(l) when no employer plan is available to you or your spouse — a question for your CPA, not your agent.
If your household income is above the subsidy range, ACA is not automatically the answer. There are other categories of coverage that may fit, and they work very differently. That is a conversation, not a web page.
The cheapest Silver plan for a 40-year-old in Indiana is $440 per month from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, with a state median of $558. Both figures are full price before premium tax credits; most buyers pay less after subsidies.
It cannot happen on an exchange plan. Rating in Indiana uses four inputs only: age, ZIP code, tobacco use and how many people are on the policy. Trade, injury history and pre-existing conditions are all excluded from pricing by law.
No. Only EPO and HMO and POS plans were filed for 2026.
Indiana ranks 1 of 15 states covered here, at a median $558 per month. Indiana is cheapest at $558 and Nebraska is most expensive at $875.
Below the cliff. At this income a single-person household remains eligible for a premium tax credit in 2026.
This occupation sits above the cliff in 1 of the 17 states reported and below it in the other 16, so the answer changes with the state.
What this figure is. It is the median annual wage BLS reports for Barbers (SOC 39-5011) in Indiana. BLS surveys wage and salary workers and excludes the self-employed, so it is a benchmark for the occupation in this state — not the income of a self-employed barber. Premium tax credit eligibility is set by household modified adjusted gross income and household size, not by occupation, so treat this as a reference point rather than a determination of what you qualify for.
Why the cliff is back. The enhanced premium tax credits expired on 31 December 2025. For plan year 2026 the 400% FPL limit applies again, so household income above $62,600 ends premium tax credit eligibility outright.
This page compares states. For Indiana specifically — county-by-county carriers, plan data and enrollment help — I publish that on Coverage by County, including a page written for Barbers in Indiana and a blog covering deductibles, subsidies and special enrollment.
One of Indiana’s 5 carriers is leaving. Cigna exits the individual market entirely on January 1, 2027, so if you are a barber covered by them the question is not whether you switch but whether you choose the switch yourself.
Rate filings for 2027 point to roughly a 15% median increase nationally, from −1% at one end to 54% at the other. Indiana has not finalised, so treat exact local 2027 pricing as unavailable rather than unknown.
Mark November 1, 2026 to open and December 15 to act. That second date guarantees cover from January 1 in Indiana regardless of how the current litigation over the enrollment window resolves.
One thing 2027 will not fix: no PPO is sold anywhere in Indiana. All 92 counties offer HMO, EPO or POS only, so care outside the network is effectively emergency-only. If your work as a barber crosses county lines, weigh that above the premium.
You already know you are changing plans — Cigna is leaving. The only real question is whether you pick the replacement or the marketplace picks it for you, and that is a much easier decision made in August than in the second week of December.
Give me a ZIP and I will tell you three things:
Rates for Barbers in Indiana are set by county, not by occupation. Start with your ZIP and I will show you the plans actually filed where you live.