Ranked 2 of 15 states · median $625/mo · CMS PY2026
Licensed Independent Agent · NPN #22052447 · 21 States
A 40-year-old musician 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 median Silver premium, Ohio ranks 2 of 15 for this occupation.
When you use coverage regularly, the annual total is driven by what each visit costs and whether the clinician you already see is contracted. A plan $40 cheaper that drops your specialist is not cheaper. These rankings pair median premium with how many carriers actually file in the state.
Occupational context: Noise-induced hearing loss; repetitive strain; travel fatigue.
Two things get confused here constantly. Risk exposure decides what coverage you should buy. It does not decide what you are charged — Ohio carriers rate on age, ZIP, tobacco and family size, full stop. A musician with a bad back and a healthy 40-year-old office worker in the same county see the same number.
Premium is set by rating area, so a musician 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike | $545 | Molina Healthcare | $7,000 | 5 |
| Crawford | $592 | Molina Healthcare | $7,000 | 4 |
| Marion | $665 | Molina Healthcare | $7,000 | 4 |
| Lake | $489 | Molina Healthcare | $7,000 | 7 |
| Clinton | $495 | Oscar Health Insurance | $6,000 | 7 |
| Wyandot | $497 | Molina Healthcare | $7,000 | 6 |
The spread across just these six is $176/month — $2,109 a year for the same metal tier. Statewide the range runs $482 to $924. Coverage by County publishes all 88 Ohio counties individually.
| Ohio — network and cost | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Median Silver premium @40 | $625 |
| Cheapest Silver @40 | $482 — Oscar Health Insurance (Butler) |
| Most expensive Silver @40 | $924 |
| Carriers filing in the state | 11 — Ambetter from Buckeye, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Antidote Health Plan of Ohio, CareSource |
| Plan types available | HMO |
| Counties with only one carrier | 0 of 88 |
Ohio has 11 carriers filing and 0 of 88 counties served by a single issuer. For a musician 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. 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
This only matters if you can actually choose — you buy in the state where you live, not where you work. If you are a musician who moved this year, that move is a qualifying life event and opens a special enrollment period.
Expense categories that typically apply to this trade: Instruments, gear, studio time, touring travel. 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 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 musician 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 Musicians in Ohio and a blog covering deductibles, subsidies and special enrollment.