Ranked 6 of 15 states · median $708/mo · CMS PY2026
Licensed Independent Agent · NPN #22052447 · 21 States
A 40-year-old personal chef in Michigan pays a median $708/month for a Silver plan before subsidies — 6th of 15 on cost. The cheapest plan in the state is $385 from Ambetter from Meridian in Genesee. On highest out-of-pocket maximum, Michigan ranks 6 of 15 for this occupation.
Injury exposure means the number that matters is the out-of-pocket maximum, not the premium. A single ER visit and follow-up can hit that ceiling in one month, so these pages rank states by worst-case annual exposure rather than by monthly cost.
Occupational context: Burns and cuts; prolonged standing; heat exposure.
Two things get confused here constantly. Risk exposure decides what coverage you should buy. It does not decide what you are charged — Michigan carriers rate on age, ZIP, tobacco and family size, full stop. A personal chef 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 personal chef in one Michigan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saginaw | $584 | Blue Care Network of Michigan | $5,800 | 4 |
| Antrim | $592 | Blue Care Network of Michigan | $5,800 | 4 |
| Lenawee | $613 | Blue Care Network of Michigan | $5,800 | 3 |
| Cheboygan | $645 | Blue Care Network of Michigan | $5,800 | 4 |
| Presque Isle | $645 | Blue Care Network of Michigan | $5,800 | 4 |
| Baraga | $769 | Blue Care Network of Michigan | $5,800 | 2 |
The spread across just these six is $186/month — $2,226 a year for the same metal tier. Statewide the range runs $385 to $1,048. Coverage by County publishes all 83 Michigan counties individually.
| Michigan — worst-case exposure | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Lowest annual out-of-pocket maximum | $0 |
| Highest annual out-of-pocket maximum | $0 |
| Cheapest Gold plan @40 | $409 — Ambetter from Meridian |
| Gold deductible | $2,000 |
| Cheapest Silver @40 | $385 — Ambetter from Meridian |
| Cheapest Silver @50 | $538 |
For a personal chef, 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. 3,383 plan records across 83 Michigan counties. Full-price filed rates before premium tax credits — verify at enrollment.
Cheaper for the same coverage: South Carolina ($636), Alabama ($680), Wisconsin ($687). More expensive: South Dakota ($725), Oklahoma ($731), Kansas ($765).
Side-by-side: Michigan vs Alabama · Michigan vs Wisconsin · Michigan vs South Dakota · Michigan vs Oklahoma
A caveat on the table above: rating is by residence, not by job site. A personal chef living in Michigan and working across a state line still buys Michigan plans. A genuine permanent move does trigger a special enrollment period, but the plan year restarts with a fresh deductible.
Expense categories that typically apply to this trade: Ingredients, knives and equipment, vehicle, 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 Michigan is $385 per month from Ambetter from Meridian, with a state median of $708. Both figures are full price before premium tax credits; most buyers pay less after subsidies.
No. Under the ACA, carriers cannot rate, decline, or exclude based on occupation or health history. Rates vary only by age, ZIP code, tobacco use and household size.
Yes. Plan types filed for 2026: EPO, HMO, PPO.
Michigan ranks 6 of 15 states covered here, at a median $708 per month. Indiana is cheapest at $558 and Nebraska is most expensive at $875.
This page compares states. For Michigan specifically — county-by-county carriers, plan data and enrollment help — I publish that on Coverage by County, including a page written for Personal Chefs in Michigan and a blog covering deductibles, subsidies and special enrollment.