A TRUSTED INDEPENDENT HEALTH INSURANCE GUIDE SINCE 1999.
Speak with a licensed insurance agent 866-553-3223
Speak with a licensed insurance agent 866-553-3223
A TRUSTED INDEPENDENT HEALTH INSURANCE GUIDE SINCE 1999.
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Will you receive an ACA premium subsidy?
See if you're eligible for the Affordable Care Act's premium tax credits (premium subsidies), how subsidies are calculated, and why they are more robust through 2025.
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Federal poverty guidelines for 2025
The federal poverty level (FPL) - also referred to as the federal poverty guidelines – is used to determine eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP, and for premium subsidies and cost-sharing reductions in the health insurance marketplace.

Is Social Security considered income when I’m enrolling in a plan through the exchange?

Is Social Security considered income when I'm enrolling in a plan through the exchange?

Yes. Social Security income is included in the income calculation to determine your subsidy eligibility.

To get your ACA-specific modified adjusted gross income (MAGI, which is often referred to as "household income" when we talk about subsidy eligibility and Medicaid eligibility), you start with your adjusted gross income (AGI) from your tax return. But three things must be added to your AGI if any of them apply to you:

  • Non-taxable Social Security income.
  • Foreign-earned income (and housing expenses if you live abroad).
  • Tax-exempt interest income.

So in general, if you have Social Security income that isn’t included in your AGI on your tax return, you need to add it to your AGI to get the total household income on which subsidies are based.

Income from Social Security Disability Insurance also needs to be included in your MAGI, but Supplemental Security Income (SSI) should not be included.1


Louise Norris is an individual health insurance broker who has been writing about health insurance and health reform since 2006. She has written hundreds of opinions and educational pieces about the Affordable Care Act for healthinsurance.org.

Footnotes

  1. "Count Income and Household Size" HealthCare.gov. Accessed Jan. 3, 2025 

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