Health insurance for New Yorkers who buy their own.
We help New Yorkers who buy their own health insurance, from people leaving a job to the self-employed and early retirees waiting on Medicare, compare NY State of Health plans, the Essential Plan and state continuation.
New York plans we compare
What’s different about health insurance in New York.
Every state runs its individual market a little differently. These are the rules that matter most if you buy your own coverage here.
Read the New York FAQ- Open enrollment through NY State of Health runs November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027, longer than HealthCare.gov.
- New York uses community rating: a 60-year-old pays the same base premium as a 30-year-old for the same plan in the same area.
- The Essential Plan offers free coverage up to 200% of the poverty level. People between 200% and 250% were moved to regular plans on July 1, 2026.
- Insured employer plans can be continued for up to 36 months, double the usual 18 months of federal COBRA.
- Short-term health plans are prohibited in New York.
- Enhanced federal subsidies ended after 2025, so income above 400% of the poverty level gets no federal premium help in 2026.
However you got here, there’s a better plan than the first one you were offered.
Leaving a job, or staring at a COBRA bill
Compare COBRA and New York's own continuation rules with Marketplace plans and everything else you qualify for.
Compare your options
Retired before 65
Bridge the years to Medicare without draining savings.
Learn more
Self-employed or 1099
Solid coverage, manageable premiums, and the tax deduction most people miss.
Learn moreLooking beyond the Marketplace
Health sharing and other non-ACA options, with the trade-offs explained.
Learn moreNeed coverage for a short gap
What short-term coverage looks like in New York, and what to use instead.
Learn moreWho sells plans in New York
Every insurer offering individual and family plans for 2026.
Learn moreFrom first conversation to coverage in three steps.
- 1
Tell us your situation
Share your ZIP, age, budget and the doctors you want to keep. Online or by phone, with no commitment.
About 5 minutes - 2
We compare every option
A licensed agent checks the plans sold in your county for premiums, deductibles, networks and prescriptions.
Usually within 1 business day - 3
Enroll with confidence
See your best matches side by side. Pick one and we handle the enrollment, then stay with you for renewals.
We handle the paperwork
Straight answers before you call.
More in our New York FAQ, or ask an agent at (888) 214-4898.
Open enrollment through NY State of Health runs from November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027. That is about two weeks longer than HealthCare.gov states. Last year the state asked people to sign up by December 15 for coverage starting January 1.
No. New York uses community rating, so insurers cannot charge adults more based on age, health or tobacco use. Your price depends on the plan, where you live and whether you are covering just yourself, a couple or a family.
Yes. On July 1, 2026, New York ended the expansion that covered people between 200% and 250% of the poverty level, after federal funding was cut. About 450,000 people moved to regular marketplace plans. The Essential Plan still covers adults up to 200% of the poverty level with no premium.
See what you'd actually pay.
A licensed agent will compare plans from every insurer in your New York county, check your subsidy, and walk you through the options. No cost, no obligation.