Ranked 2 of 15 states · median $625/mo · CMS PY2026
Licensed Independent Agent · NPN #22052447 · 21 States
A 40-year-old hvac contractor in Ohio pays a median $625/month for a Silver plan before subsidies — 2th of 15 on cost. The cheapest plan in the state is $482 from Oscar Health Insurance in Butler. On highest out-of-pocket maximum, Ohio ranks 9 of 15 for this occupation.
Trade work concentrates cost into rare, expensive events rather than spreading it across the year. That inverts the usual shopping logic: a lower premium with a $9,200 ceiling is a worse deal than a higher premium with a $6,000 one, because the ceiling is what you actually hit. These rankings follow the ceiling.
Occupational context: Refrigerant exposure; heat stress; attic and roof falls.
Worth being clear about what this does and does not affect: a carrier in Ohio cannot ask what you do for a living, cannot charge a hvac contractor 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 hvac contractor in one Ohio 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geauga | $489 | Molina Healthcare | $7,000 | 7 |
| Clermont | $495 | Oscar Health Insurance | $6,000 | 8 |
| Seneca | $497 | Molina Healthcare | $7,000 | 7 |
| Adams | $512 | Molina Healthcare | $7,000 | 6 |
| Harrison | $523 | Ambetter from Buckeye | $6,000 | 6 |
| Champaign | $526 | Antidote Health Plan of Ohio | $7,500 | 8 |
The spread across just these six is $36/month — $436 a year for the same metal tier. Statewide the range runs $482 to $924. Coverage by County publishes all 88 Ohio counties individually.
| Ohio — worst-case exposure | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Lowest annual out-of-pocket maximum | $0 |
| Highest annual out-of-pocket maximum | $0 |
| Cheapest Gold plan @40 | $482 — Oscar Health Insurance |
| Gold deductible | $2,000 |
| Cheapest Silver @40 | $482 — Oscar Health Insurance |
| Cheapest Silver @50 | $674 |
For a hvac contractor, the gap between $0 and $0 in annual out-of-pocket maximum is worth more than any premium difference on this page. One serious injury reaches that ceiling regardless of which plan you picked.
Source: CMS Plan Year 2026 Qualified Health Plan Landscape file. 9,038 plan records across 88 Ohio counties. Full-price filed rates before premium tax credits — verify at enrollment.
Cheaper for the same coverage: Indiana ($558). More expensive: South Carolina ($636), Alabama ($680), Wisconsin ($687).
Side-by-side: Ohio vs Indiana · Ohio vs South Carolina · Ohio vs Alabama
Cross-state numbers are useful for understanding whether Ohio is treating you well, not for arbitrage. You cannot buy an out-of-state exchange plan. If you are a hvac contractor weighing a relocation for other reasons, the premium difference is a real line item worth putting in the decision.
If you file a Schedule C as a hvac contractor, the categories that usually show up are: Tools, van, EPA certification, liability insurance. The health premium itself is normally an above-the-line deduction under IRC §162(l), which reduces AGI rather than requiring you to itemize. Your CPA should confirm it against your actual situation.
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 Ohio is $482 per month from Oscar Health Insurance, with a state median of $625. Both figures are full price before premium tax credits; most buyers pay less after subsidies.
No. Ohio exchange plans are guaranteed issue and community rated, so a hvac contractor pays exactly what anyone else of the same age in the same ZIP pays. Occupation is not on the application as a rating factor.
No. Only HMO plans were filed for 2026.
Ohio ranks 2 of 15 states covered here, at a median $625 per month. Indiana is cheapest at $558 and Nebraska is most expensive at $875.
This page compares states. For Ohio specifically — county-by-county carriers, plan data and enrollment help — I publish that on Coverage by County, including a page written for HVAC Contractors in Ohio and a blog covering deductibles, subsidies and special enrollment.