How to Get Free or Low-Cost Health Insurance

How Subsidies Work

If you're eligible for a premium tax credit you can opt to have it paid to your insurer each month on your behalf.

That means you won't have to claim it all at once on your tax return at the end of the year (you'll still have to reconcile the amount on your tax return). The government pays part of your monthly insurance premium and you pay the rest.

Subsidies can only be used to buy Obamacare health insurance sold on the ACA's health insurance exchanges—also called the Marketplace. They cannot be used to help pay for health insurance through your job or a health plan purchased outside the marketplace.