Best Cheap Health Insurance in Michigan in 2023

The cheapest Silver health insurance plan in Michigan is the Ambetter Virtual Access Silver, which is available in 32 counties. The MyPriority Telehealth PCP Silver 5500 is the most affordable Silver plan across 42% of Michigan's counties. As the price and availability of health insurance vary depending on location and age, we recommend comparing rates from multiple insurers before buying a policy.

Cheapest health insurance by plan tier

We compared health insurance plans in Michigan by tier in order to determine the cheapest policies available for each level of coverage.

Higher metal tiers of coverage have lower out-of-pocket costs, meaning you'll pay less in the event you need to use your health insurance, but they also come with more expensive premiums.

In addition to the level of coverage you choose, your age is a big factor in determining health insurance rates, as premiums get more expensive as you get older. As you can see in the example above, a 40-year-old would pay 28% more than a 21-year-old for a Silver policy, while a 60-year-old would pay 112% more than a 40-year-old for the same policy.

The insurers and health plans available will change depending on the county in which you live, so those listed below may not be offered in your region.

Finding your best health insurance coverage in Michigan

The best health insurance plan available for you in Michigan will depend upon the county you live in, as this determines which plans are offered, as well as your income.

In each county, you'll be able to choose among metal tiers of coverage, which show both a plan's monthly premiums and benefits. Generally, higher metal tier plans have more expensive premiums, but out-of-pocket costs, such as deductibles, copays and coinsurance, are much lower. Lower metal tier health plans, on the other hand, have cheaper monthly rates alongside much higher cost-sharing features.

So, for instance, if you're young and have had no health issues, your net cost would likely be lower with a Silver or Bronze plan since you're likely to have fewer medical expenses throughout the year. However, if you became ill and needed to be hospitalized, your total expenses may be higher, as you'd need to cover large out-of-pocket costs before your health insurance would provide coverage.

Gold plans: Best for high medical costs

Gold health plans have the most expensive monthly premiums, but they typically offer the cheapest out-of-pocket expenses, such as deductibles and copays. So, if you have high expected medical expenses, such as costly ongoing prescriptions, a higher metal tier policy may be your best choice for health insurance.

Silver plans: Best if you have a low income or moderate medical expenses

Silver plans are often the best health insurance option if you're looking for a middle ground to balance affordable premiums and out-of-pocket costs. They also are eligible for cost-sharing reduction (CSR) subsidies for lower-income households, which can help to make your health care more affordable.

Bronze and Catastrophic plans: Best for healthy people with emergency savings

Bronze and Catastrophic plans often have the cheapest monthly health insurance rates, making them great choices for young, healthy people with low expected medical costs. We wouldn't recommend these policies unless you have the financial resources to cover the high out-of-pocket expenses in case of an emergency.

Low tiers have the highest deductibles, copays and coinsurance, meaning coverage won't be extended until you've covered these costs yourself. Also note that Catastrophic plans aren't available unless you're under the age of 30 or you qualify for a certain exemption, so this option may not be available to you. Catastrophic plans also are not eligible for premium tax credits.

Medicaid

Michigan expanded Medicaid for residents under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), so if your income is at or below 133% of the federal poverty level (about $18,000 for a single person or $37,000 for a family of four), you may qualify for Medicaid or a qualified health plan.

Health insurance rate changes in Michigan

Health insurance providers are required to submit any policy premium, deductible and out-of-pocket maximum changes to federal regulators. This occurs on an annual basis and is the reason that you may see a slight uptick in your health insurance costs.

For 2023, health insurance costs in Michigan increased for most plans by an average of 2%, with Catastrophic plans rising by 5% compared to 2022.

Short-term health insurance in Michigan

You can buy short-term health insurance in Michigan, but policies are restricted when compared to the federal guidelines for these types of plans. If you have a short-term plan, coverage is only provided for up to 185 days and renewals are prohibited. You will need to buy a new plan from a different company.

Although short-term plans provide a variety of coverage benefits, they are not required to cover all of the essential benefits including maternity, mental health and prescription drugs. Before buying a short-term health plan, you should make sure the policy is appropriate for your needs.

Best cheap health insurance companies in Michigan

For those looking to compare policies, there are currently 10 health insurance companies on the Michigan state exchange:

The best cheap health insurance plan will likely be offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield, Ambetter from Meridian or Priority Health. One of these companies offers the cheapest Silver health insurance plans in 99% of Michigan's counties.

Cheapest health insurance plan by county

The county where you live in Michigan will determine the health insurance companies and plans available. To help you find your best health plan, we compared monthly rates from every policy in the state to determine the cheapest Silver policy in each county.

Your actual cost of health insurance will vary depending on your age and family size, but we recommend using this as a starting point to determine the most affordable Silver plan near you.

Average cost of health insurance by family size in Michigan

Larger families in Michigan will pay higher premiums for health insurance as more people are added to the policy. The cost of adding another family member to your health coverage will depend on their age.

So, for instance, if you and your spouse were covered by a Silver plan and wanted to add coverage for your new child, your monthly premium would increase by approximately $260 — the average cost to add health insurance for a child in Michigan.

On the other hand, if you've just gotten married and want to add your 40-year-old spouse to your policy, your premiums will double — increasing by $435 per month on average — assuming you're the same age.

Frequently asked questions

Methodology

Health insurance rates, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums in this report were compiled from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) government website. Using public use files (PUFs), ValuePenguin found average values by age, county, plan tier and family size to better understand the health insurance marketplace in Michigan. Plans and providers for which county-level data was included in the CMS Crosswalk file were used in our analysis; those excluded from this data set may not appear.