Free or Low-Cost Health Insurance in the U.S.: Affordable Coverage Options, Medicaid, ACA & Medicare Guide

Health insurance can be costly. First, you pay premiums for access to healthcare and prescription drugs. And then when you go for care, you are frequently subject to out-of-pocket costs. These costs can include deductibles, copays and coinsurance. However, if you have health insurance, the cost-sharing amounts and negotiated rates for services when you need care can drive down what you pay.

If you qualify for some government health insurance programs, an Affordable Care Act (ACA) plan with a premium subsidy or else other alternative health plans, you can lower the cost of your health insurance.

Here are seven places to find free or low-cost health insurance.

Affordable Care Act marketplace

The ACA makes affordable health insurance available through marketplaces, or exchanges, run by the federal government and individual states. ACA plans provide premium tax credits (or premium subsidies). How much you can save on premiums via subsidies depends on your income and household size.

A record 24 million people were enrolled in ACA plans in the 2025 coverage year. This is partly due to the lavish subsidies it received from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. With these subsidies, roughly 4 in 5 consumers were able to find plans for $10 or less a month in 2025. (The amount of benefits you can receive in 2026 may change due to alterations in federal funding.)

Also worth noting: Young adults can get insurance options through the ACA. In addition, some people with higher incomes are now eligible for Medicaid. We will discuss this later.

Medicaid

Medicaid is one of the best options for free or low-cost health insurance coverage, depending on your income. Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) covered almost 79 million people across the country as of December 2024. Medicaid is the biggest source of health insurance in the U.S.

Medicaid is a joint state-federal program, which all states, Washington D.C., and five U.S. territories administer. You can enroll in Medicaid via the agency in your state or territory. If anyone in your household is eligible for Medicaid, your application for an ACA plan will be sent to your state’s Medicaid agency.

Medicaid pays for the health care of pregnant people and parents, older adults, children and people with disabilities. Medicaid’s eligibility is based on income, family size and other factors. Emergency Medicaid, which provides coverage to offset the cost of an ER visit, is one of the few federal health insurance programs that are available to undocumented immigrants.

Children’s Health Insurance Program

Over 7 million people were covered by CHIP in December 2024. The program applies to children in families who make too much money to be eligible for traditional Medicaid but don’t have enough to buy a private health insurance plan. In some states, pregnant women or those who have recently given birth are also eligible for their own CHIP coverage.

High-deductible health plan

A high-deductible health plan (HDHP) is a type of health insurance policy that usually combines lower monthly premiums with a high deductible. Some employer-sponsored and ACA plans qualify as HDHPs. An HDHP can cover all of your in-network preventive care before you even meet your deductible. That includes annual exams, some vaccines and screenings. But many people with HDHPs do not know about this and do not use covered services.

In 2025, HDHPs must have a minimum deductible of $1,650 for an individual and $3,300 for a family. But the maximum out-of-pocket costs (not including premiums) are $8,300 for an individual and $16,600 for a family.

In 2026, HDHPs must have at least a $1,700 deductible for an individual and $3,400 for a family. But the most you’ll pay out of your pocket (not including premiums) is $8,500 for an individual and $17,000 for a family.

Being enrolled in an HDHP also allows you to sign up for a health savings account (HSA). Employers sometimes set up HSAs and manage contributions on employees’ behalf, but you can also establish one independently.

Catastrophic health plans are, just so you know, HDHPs. Catastrophic plans help protect you from the costs associated with worst-case scenarios like serious injuries or long-term illnesses. Catastrophic plans are available only for two groups:

Adults under 30
Adults age 30 or older who received an affordability or hardship exemption

Medicare with Extra Help

And if you’re on Medicare, you may be eligible for a Part D low-income subsidy called Extra Help. This subsidy assists individuals with limited income in covering their Medicare Part D expenses. Most people with Extra Help will pay in 2025:

Part D prescription medication coverage with no monthly premiums
No Part D deductible
$12.15 maximum for Medicare brand-name drugs
$4.90 maximum copay for generic drugs

People who reside in the 50 states and Washington, D.C., can apply for Extra Help. There are also other programs in American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands that assist Medicare enrollees with limited income pay for prescription medications.

Some people qualify for Extra Help automatically, such as:

Individuals with both Medicare and full Medicaid coverage (known as dual eligibility)
Those who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
People who are eligible for one of four Medicare Savings Programs, which can be run through Medicaid programs

Medicare special needs plans

Medicare enrollees can select either original Medicare (Part A and/or Part B), or private alternatives, referred to as Medicare Advantage. A Medicare special needs plan (SNP) is a type of Medicare Advantage plan designed for people with certain conditions who meet additional eligibility requirements. SNPs cover certain out-of-pocket costs and offer care coordination among other services.

SNPs There are three types of SNPs:

Chronic condition SNP: This type of plan is for those who have diabetes, dementia or another qualifying chronic health condition.
Institutional SNP: This kind of plan is for people who live in a nursing home or an inpatient care center, or who get a high level of nursing care at home.
Dual-eligible SNP: This plan serves individuals who are eligible for both Medicare and full Medicaid.

A parent’s plan

You’re under age 26, which means you can be covered by an insured parent’s health plan. You qualify if you’re married, if you’re a parent, if someone doesn’t claim you as a dependent and even if you don’t live at home. (In some states the maximum age is higher, if you qualify.) This coverage rule applies whether your parent has job-based insurance or an ACA plan. The added cost of adding you to one of those plans is often a fraction of the cost of purchasing a separate plan.

Watch out for cheap health care deals that aren’t insurance

If you are not purchasing a health plan through your employer, the ACA marketplace or an insurance company, you may not be buying insurance. That’s because not all products that say they help pay medical costs are insurance. Exercise caution regarding healthcare sharing ministries (also referred to as medical cost-sharing programs) and nonlicensed risk-sharing plans. These arrangements don’t carry the same consumer protections, regulation by state insurance departments or guarantee of claims payment as health insurance plans do.

What if I don’t have insurance? Where can I go to get free or low-cost medical care?

Free or low cost healthcare services may be available in hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities. These are surgical care and medication. They are open to people without health insurance. Here are some potential sources of affordable care.

Federally qualified health centers

Federally qualified health centers, or FQHCs, are community-based facilities that provide primary care services. They are federally-funded (FQHCs). They serve people in underserved populations. Known as federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), these facilities charge patients on a sliding scale. That typically means that services aren’t free.

According to the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), millions of uninsured Americans rely on FQHCs for medical care. Find an FQHC by using your ZIP code with HRSA’s search tool.

Safety net hospitals and clinics

Safety net hospitals and clinics are full-service health centers that treat people regardless of their insurance status. They are also called county hospitals, public hospitals or essential hospitals. These institutions are already giving billions of dollars in uncompensated care to the uninsured. Search this list for a safety net hospital, county hospital, public hospital or essential hospital in your area.

Free and charitable clinics

Free and charitable clinics are intended for “medically underserved” individuals. Which inclusively includes the uninsured. In general, care is free of charge. When there is an onsite pharmacy, medications are supplied at no cost. The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics has a directory of more than 1,400 sites. You can find a clinic near you by using the organization’s Find a Clinic tool.

Rural health clinics

Rural health clinics offer primary and preventive care for individuals covered by Medicare and Medicaid — and may also treat those with commercial plans, as well as those who are uninsured. There are more than 4,500 rural health clinics across the country.

Hospitals with financial assistance programs

Most hospitals have financial assistance programs. If you qualify, they can pay all or part of your medical bills. Income-based reason for indigent care and charity care Some hospitals also provide a discount for patients who are uninsured.

Patient assistance programs

Patient assistance programs are offered by pharmaceutical companies, nonprofits and government agencies. These offer free or discounted medicines. You usually have to be uninsured or underinsured to be eligible for these programs. There are programs for conditions and circumstances as well, such as for people who have a cancer diagnosis and no insurance.

Nonprofit organizations

There are nonprofits that help consumers pay their medical bills. For example, the Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation and the HealthWell Foundation provide eligible individuals condition-specific funding. They can also be used to assist with copays, transportation costs and medications.

Frequently asked questions

What are the low-cost options that you have for health insurance plans?

Healthcare cost-sharing ministries are programs that allow people to pool their money so they can pay the medical bills of individuals. They are not insurance, so they operate outside the rules governing insurance plans. There is no guarantee of full financial assistance, and individuals are still responsible for their medical debt. There may always be free and low-cost healthcare options available to you in your area, even if you lack coverage. These are charitable clinics, FQHCs, and safety net hospitals that provide indigent (i.e., charity) care.