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Prices · October 2026

What Health Insurance Alternatives Cost in Texas (2026 Prices)

The full price table, worked examples for real households, and the IUA math most people skip.

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Answer 6 quick questions to see what Direct Primary Care plus health sharing could cost your household.

The short answer

As of October 2026, the pairing we most often recommend in Texas, Sedera medical cost sharing with an Akos MD virtual primary care membership built in, costs from $167.52 a month for a single adult under 30 to $1,693.12 a month for a family whose oldest member is 60 to 64 who picks the lowest Initial Unshareable Amount. Most households land between $200 and $800.

Three things set your amount: household size, the oldest member's age, and the Initial Unshareable Amount (IUA) you choose. Tobacco and vape users pay more; ask us for that rate. Your income doesn't change the price.

What the monthly amount includes

  • Medical cost sharing (Sedera). Eligible large bills above your IUA can be shared, with no provider network and no lifetime maximum. Not insurance, and not guaranteed.
  • Virtual primary care (Akos MD). Akos describes its service as 24/7/365 access with same-day virtual appointments and a dedicated primary care provider. It works the same in Lubbock as in Houston, and when you travel or work a job far from home.
  • Optional dental savings plan from $8.95 a month plus a one-time $20.00 fee, added separately. See dental savings plans.

Worked examples

Illustrative, non-tobacco households, prices as of October 2026. The last column is a worst realistic year: twelve months of shares plus three IUAs, the most that can apply in one membership year.

HouseholdIUAMonthlyWith dental (from)Worst-case year
Single, age 28$2,500$167.52$176.47$9,510.24
Single, age 35$1,000$226.86$235.81$5,722.32
Couple, oldest 45$1,000$534.64Ask us$9,415.68
Family, oldest 40$1,500$691.22Ask us$12,794.64
Couple, oldest 55$2,500$596.56Ask us$14,658.72
Single, age 62$1,000$613.86$622.81$10,366.32

The worst-case year ignores maternity, which has its own IUA, and bills that aren't shareable. Couple and family dental prices aren't published, so ask us. Not a quote.

$0$200$400$600$800Under 30, $2,500 IUA: $167.52Under 30, $1,500 IUA: $185.58Under 30, $1,000 IUA: $205.36Under 30, $500 IUA: $254.38Under 3030–39, $2,500 IUA: $179.5630–39, $1,500 IUA: $198.4830–39, $1,000 IUA: $226.8630–39, $500 IUA: $331.7830–3940–49, $2,500 IUA: $196.7640–49, $1,500 IUA: $215.6840–49, $1,000 IUA: $242.3440–49, $500 IUA: $342.1040–4950–59, $2,500 IUA: $303.4050–59, $1,500 IUA: $326.6250–59, $1,000 IUA: $361.8850–59, $500 IUA: $489.1650–5960–64, $2,500 IUA: $556.2460–64, $1,500 IUA: $579.4660–64, $1,000 IUA: $613.8660–64, $500 IUA: $742.0060–64$2,500 IUA$1,500 IUA$1,000 IUA$500 IUA
Monthly amount for a single member, by age band and IUA, as of October 2026.

Choosing your IUA: the math most people skip

A lower IUA means less to pay when something happens, but a higher monthly amount every month. Since no more than three IUAs apply in a membership year, a $500 IUA can save you at most $6,000 a year compared with $2,500 ($2,000 × 3 Needs). Here's what it costs you extra each year:

Extra cost per year of a $500 IUA vs $2,500Oldest 30–3940–4950–59
Member only$1,826.64$1,744.08$2,229.12
Member + spouse$4,128.00$3,952.56$5,036.16
Member + family$5,882.40$5,614.08$7,151.76

What that means: a single person pays about $1,800 a year extra for the lower IUA, so it pays off only with roughly one large Need a year. A family whose oldest member is in their 50s pays more than $7,000 a year extra for, at most, $6,000 of savings. In that case the $500 IUA can't pay off. Most healthy households do better with a higher IUA and the difference set aside in savings, as long as they could pay the IUA if something happened.

This is our own analysis of the published prices. It simplifies by ignoring maternity and Needs smaller than $2,500.

How this compares with insurance in Texas

We can't quote insurance or estimate your tax credit. What we can tell you: Texas individual-plan prices rose about 34.7% on average for 2026, and for 2027 insurers proposed increases averaging about 13.1%, before any tax credit (source). Households above 400% of the federal poverty level, $63,840 for one person or $132,000 for a family of four, get no credit now (source). Even with a credit, the average monthly cost for Texas enrollees rose from $57 in 2025 to $89 in 2026 (source).

To compare fairly, get your after-credit price from HealthCare.gov during open enrollment, November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 (enroll by December 15 for a January 1 start) (source), and put it next to the numbers above, including each option's worst-case year. A Marketplace plan's deductible and out-of-pocket maximum belong in that comparison too.

Full price table

Combined monthly amount, non-tobacco, by the oldest member's age. As of October 2026. New members must be 18 to 64.

$2,500 IUA

Combined monthly amount at a $2,500 Initial Unshareable Amount, by oldest member's age. Non-tobacco. As of October 2026.
HouseholdUnder 3030–3940–4950–5960–64
Member only$167.52$179.56$196.76$303.40$556.24
Member + spouse$390.16$426.28$433.16$596.56$849.40
Member + children$356.46$396.02$405.48$560.28$813.12
Member + family$575.98$633.60$633.60$844.30$1,097.14

$1,500 IUA

Combined monthly amount at a $1,500 Initial Unshareable Amount, by oldest member's age. Non-tobacco. As of October 2026.
HouseholdUnder 3030–3940–4950–5960–64
Member only$185.58$198.48$215.68$326.62$579.46
Member + spouse$439.18$468.42$474.44$649.02$901.86
Member + children$396.88$434.72$443.32$607.58$860.42
Member + family$647.36$694.66$691.22$918.26$1,171.10

$1,000 IUA

Combined monthly amount at a $1,000 Initial Unshareable Amount, by oldest member's age. Non-tobacco. As of October 2026.
HouseholdUnder 3030–3940–4950–5960–64
Member only$205.36$226.86$242.34$361.88$613.86
Member + spouse$490.78$532.06$534.64$726.42$978.40
Member + children$439.88$490.62$494.92$674.66$927.50
Member + family$722.18$784.96$778.08$1,029.20$1,282.04

$500 IUA

Combined monthly amount at a $500 Initial Unshareable Amount, by oldest member's age. Non-tobacco. As of October 2026.
HouseholdUnder 3030–3940–4950–5960–64
Member only$254.38$331.78$342.10$489.16$742.00
Member + spouse$615.48$770.28$762.54$1,016.24$1,268.22
Member + children$546.52$700.46$696.16$930.08$1,182.92
Member + family$905.36$1,123.80$1,101.44$1,440.28$1,693.12

Prices are set by the programs and can change. Some amounts dip slightly from the 30–39 to the 40–49 age band; that's how the published schedule reads.

Common questions

How much is health insurance in Texas without a subsidy?

We don't quote insurance. HealthCare.gov shows full and after-credit prices for your household. For comparison, the alternatives on this page start at $167.52 a month as of October 2026.

Does my income change the price?

No. The monthly amount depends on household size, the oldest member's age, tobacco use and the IUA you choose. Marketplace tax credits are the part that depends on income.

Is the IUA a deductible?

No. It applies to each Need separately, not once a year, and at most three apply in a membership year. After the IUA, eligible bills may be shared. Sharing isn't guaranteed.

Are there sign-up fees?

Ask us for current fees when you get your prices. The dental savings plan has a one-time $20.00 processing fee.

Written and reviewed by Graham Kerswell. Last updated October 19, 2026. Facts and prices are checked against the sources named on this page.

Sources

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Health care sharing
Health care sharing ministries are not insurance and are not regulated as insurance. Sharing of medical expenses is voluntary and not guaranteed. Review each organization's guidelines for details, limitations, and state-specific notices.

Texas notice (Texas Insurance Code § 1681.002)
Texas law requires a health care sharing ministry to give this notice on or with its applications and guideline materials: “Notice: This health care sharing ministry facilitates the sharing of medical expenses and is not an insurance company, and neither its guidelines nor its plan of operation is an insurance policy. Whether anyone chooses to assist you with your medical bills will be totally voluntary because no other participant will be compelled by law to contribute toward your medical bills. As such, participation in the ministry or a subscription to any of its documents should never be considered to be insurance. Regardless of whether you receive any payment for medical expenses or whether this ministry continues to operate, you are always personally responsible for the payment of your own medical bills. Complaints concerning this health care sharing ministry may be reported to the office of the Texas attorney general.” Health care sharing is not Minimum Essential Coverage.

Direct primary care
Direct primary care is a membership with a primary care practice. Under Texas law (Texas Occupations Code § 162.253), a direct primary care medical service agreement is not health or accident insurance and is not regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance. A DPC membership does not pay for specialists, hospital care or emergencies, and it is not Minimum Essential Coverage.

Discount plans
THIS PLAN IS NOT INSURANCE and is not intended to replace health insurance. A discount health care program is NOT insurance (Texas Insurance Code ch. 562). It provides discounts at participating providers and does not make payments to providers; the member pays the entire discounted rate. The program does not guarantee the quality of the services or products offered by individual providers. Discount program operator: Careington International Corporation, 7400 Gaylord Parkway, Frisco, TX 75034. Discount plans are not ACA Qualified Health Plans.

How we're paid
We may receive compensation from some organizations we recommend. This does not change our evaluation of how they work. See our Referral Marketing Disclosure.

Not advice
This page is general information, not medical, legal, tax or financial advice. Prices are examples, not quotes; they depend on your household and can change. Affordable Healthcare Texas is not an insurance agency and does not sell insurance. We help individuals and families explore alternatives to insurance, including direct primary care, health care sharing and discount plans.