In the state of MA, for example, if you don’t qualify for ACA, most plans are minimum $1200 per person per month. How are people saving after that, plus housing, student loans, and maintaining a car? Say your salary is $65k.
I’m sure it varies by state, but I know my friend in Texas just gets her insurance off the open market and only pays $250 or less a month. I don’t know what that covers, though, and how high her deductible is, but sometimes you have to pick and choose coverages to get an affordable price, especially if you’re fairly healthy.
@Jin
That’s interesting! It sounds like finding the right plan can make a huge difference.
Sounds like your friend is getting a decent subsidy based on her income level. I retired this year, so next year I’ll be on an ACA plan and qualify for $1400/month in subsidies (for 2 people). Without those, it would be $1600-2000+/month depending on the plan. The deductible ranges from $5000-$7500/year—PER PERSON. 
@Ziv
Wow, that’s a lot! I had no idea the deductibles could be so high.
She makes about 90k but freelances, so she doesn’t have insurance through work. I didn’t go through the full application since I have it through work, but based on estimates for a PPO with a $3000 deductible, it would be about $550 a month. I’m sure that would change if I went through the whole process, but it shows I don’t qualify for any subsidies with my income level.
@Jin
Yup, lots of factors come into play. Your friend probably has a bronze plan.
Most budgets assume a job with an employer where taxes and medical come off the top. For self-employed folks, they have to budget for taxes and a healthcare plan. If I were self-employed, I’d budget off of net income after those expenses are removed.
@Auden
That’s a smart approach! It makes sense to account for those costs upfront.
If you can afford it and aren’t maxing out retirement accounts, it can make more sense to do so because it could lower your health insurance cost. Make sure to check for estimated cost savings on the open marketplace. There are plans cheaper than $1200 in most states, and MA has specific savings extending to incomes above ACA coverage.
@Joss
Great tips! I’ll definitely look into that. Thanks for the advice!