The Federal Poverty Level (FPL) is a measure of income set annually by the federal government. It's used as the benchmark to determine who qualifies for health insurance subsidies, Medicaid, CHIP, and other assistance programs.
Your household's income as a percentage of the FPL determines what help you can get. A family earning 200% FPL earns twice the poverty guideline for their household size. The higher your FPL percentage, the less subsidy you typically receive — and in 2026, subsidies phase out entirely once your income exceeds 400% FPL. The subsidy cliff is back after enhanced subsidies expired December 31, 2025.
If you're not sure where your income falls, a licensed broker can run the numbers for your household size and help you estimate your subsidy before you enroll.
Yes. The federal government updates FPL guidelines annually, usually in the spring. The figures used for Marketplace enrollment are typically the prior year's numbers — so 2026 enrollment uses 2025 FPL guidelines. Your broker will always use the current figures when calculating your subsidy eligibility.
Yes, significantly. The FPL threshold increases with each additional person in your household. A single person and a family of four at the same income can be at very different FPL percentages, which means very different subsidy amounts.
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