Benchmark $662/mo · ranked 18 of 23 · median wage $46,810
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The benchmark premium for a 40-year-old in Mississippi is $662 a month for 2026, ranking 18 of 23 states published here. BLS reports a median annual wage of $46,810 for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors in Mississippi.
Below the cliff. At this income a single-person household remains eligible for a premium tax credit in 2027.
This occupation sits above the cliff in 2 of the 23 states reported and below it in the other 21, so the answer changes with the state.
What this figure is. It is the median annual wage BLS reports for Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors (SOC 21-1018) in Mississippi. 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 counselor. 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 2027 the 400% FPL limit applies again, so household income above $63,840 ends premium tax credit eligibility outright.
Benchmark premium and median wage for this occupation, ranked by premium.
| # | State | Benchmark @40 | Median wage | vs cliff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $414 | $57,820 | below |
| 2 | Virginia | $455 | $58,410 | below |
| 3 | Indiana | $474 | $49,280 | below |
| 4 | Nevada | $497 | $59,470 | below |
| 5 | Ohio | $513 | $56,990 | below |
| 6 | Michigan | $523 | $59,530 | below |
| 7 | Colorado | $557 | $59,190 | below |
| 8 | South Carolina | $564 | $50,720 | below |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $604 | $58,610 | below |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $611 | $62,470 | below |
| 11 | Georgia | $615 | $55,320 | below |
| 12 | North Carolina | $638 | $56,470 | below |
| 13 | Utah | $640 | $65,920 | above |
| 14 | Alabama | $645 | $48,880 | below |
| 15 | Illinois | $646 | $59,570 | below |
| 16 | South Dakota | $655 | $53,400 | below |
| 17 | Texas | $661 | $60,630 | below |
| 18 | Mississippi | $662 | $46,810 | below |
| 19 | Kansas | $670 | $57,760 | below |
| 20 | Florida | $683 | $56,830 | below |
| 21 | Nebraska | $710 | $64,410 | above |
| 22 | Tennessee | $711 | $48,170 | below |
| 23 | Arkansas | $774 | $49,990 | below |
This page compares states. For Mississippi specifically — county-by-county carriers, plan data and enrollment help — that is published on Coverage by County. To check whether a plan actually covers your hospital, see Plans By City.
Put your ZIP code in and a licensed agent will show you the carriers filing in your county, what the cheapest plan costs, and what you would actually pay after any help you qualify for. No cost, and you talk to a licensed agent — not a call center.
The biggest change here is two carriers walking away. Cigna and Molina leave Mississippi’s individual market on January 1, 2027 — two of the 5 carriers writing in Mississippi today. Every counselor on a Cigna or Molina plan is moving, and doing nothing just means the marketplace chooses the replacement.
On price the only honest number today is national: the Peterson-KFF read of 2027 filings puts the median proposed rise near 15%, spanning −1% to 54%. Final Mississippi rates are not approved, so any precise 2027 figure quoted for this state is guesswork.
Mark November 1, 2026 to open and December 15 to act. That second date guarantees cover from January 1 in Mississippi regardless of how the current litigation over the enrollment window resolves.
One thing 2027 will not fix: no PPO is sold anywhere in Mississippi. All 82 counties offer EPO or HMO plans only, so care outside the network is effectively emergency-only. If your work as a counselor crosses county lines, weigh that above the premium.
If you are with Cigna or Molina, you already know you are changing plans — both are 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 now than in the second week of December.
Enter a ZIP and a licensed agent will tell you three things:
The sticker price is rarely what Counselors in Mississippi end up paying. Start with a ZIP and a licensed agent will work out your actual number.
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