What this page sets up
Two Californians aged 34 and 33 on one tax return, expecting $40,000 between them for 2027. That’s 184% of the $21,640 line for two, so they’re asked to pay 5.99% of their income toward the benchmark silver plan: $199.67 a month. With $520 entered as a 40-year-old’s benchmark price, the age curve gives $981.41 a month for the two of them, so the federal credit is $781.74 a month, $9,380.88 over the year. Because 184% is under 200%, the page also shows the California state subsidy note: Covered California may lower the premium below $199.67 with state money that this calculator doesn’t model.
Replace the ages, the income and the price with yours. Covered California’s Shop and Compare tool lists 2027 plans for your ZIP code; sort the silver plans by price before any savings and take the second-cheapest as the benchmark.
Three income zones in California
For a household of two in 2027:
| Household income | Share of poverty line | What applies |
|---|---|---|
| up to $29,863 | up to 138% | Medi-Cal for adults, not the credit |
| $29,864 to $43,280 | 138% to 200% | Federal credit, plus the state subsidy |
| $43,281 to $86,560 | 200% to 400% | Federal credit only |
| over $86,560 | over 400% | No federal credit |
Type an income from each row into the calculator to see the notes change: $25,000 brings up the Medi-Cal note, $40,000 the state subsidy, $60,000 neither. The table under the calculator shows the same household at incomes around the 400% line.
California timing and the two kinds of help
- Already a member? Covered California opens renewals and plan switches on October 1, a month before new sign-ups. Check the 2027 quote it sends before you renew automatically: the state subsidy may have changed your price.
- Compare the quote with this result. Under 200% the quote should be lower than the benchmark price minus the credit here, because the state money comes on top. If it isn’t, check the household size and income you entered there.
- Near 138%, think about the year ahead. Income that rises or falls across the Medi-Cal line during 2027 can move you between Medi-Cal and Covered California. Tell whichever program you’re in when your income changes, so your coverage and any help with it stay right.
To compare a state without Medicaid expansion and with the federal Marketplace, see the Texas page. If one of you works for yourself, the self-employed page works out MAGI from business profit.
Sources: Covered California news release “Covered California Rates and Plans for 2027” (July 21, 2026) and its open enrollment page; KFF Medicaid expansion status (October 2026); IRS Rev. Proc. 2026-26; HHS poverty guidelines, January 15, 2026.