Private Health Plans for the Self-Employed in Delaware

I am an independent, licensed health insurance broker, and I am licensed in Delaware. If you are self-employed, a 1099 contractor, or a freelancer, this page covers the options that sit outside the Marketplace — what is actually available in Delaware, what the trade-offs are, and when a private plan is the wrong answer. There is no fee for my help. The insurance company pays the broker, not you.

Delaware caps short-term coverage at 90 days — far shorter than the 36 months some states allow.

Delaware at a glance for the self-employed

Delawareans shop on HealthCare.gov, and the market is getting smaller. Three carriers sold plans for 2026: AmeriHealth Caritas, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware and Ambetter. Ambetter leaves at the end of 2026, leaving two for 2027.

• 2027 rates. AmeriHealth Caritas proposed about 14% and Highmark about 20%.
• Enrollment fell 18% for 2026, to about 45,000, after the enhanced subsidies expired.
• Full price is expensive. The average Delaware enrollee paid about $320 a month after subsidies in 2026, and subsidies averaged about $720.
• State protections. Delaware runs a reinsurance program, caps insulin cost-sharing at $35 a month and specialty drugs at $150 a month.

The 400% line matters more here than most people expect. For 2027 the credit stops above $63,840 for one person and $132,000 for a family of four, and there is no phase-out. See the full 2027 income limits.

Your private options in Delaware

• Short-term plans. Delaware caps short-term coverage at 90 days, so it only covers a brief gap.
• Medically underwritten private plans. Health questions up front, often lower premiums for healthy applicants, broad PPO networks, and applications accepted any month.
• Supplemental coverage. Accident, critical-illness and hospital plans can soften a high deductible. How it works.

When private is the right call in Delaware, and when it is not

With two carriers on HealthCare.gov for 2027 and proposed 2027 increases of about 14% and 20%, a healthy Delaware freelancer or business owner over the subsidy line often saves real money with a private plan.

Stay with HealthCare.gov if you have an ongoing condition, are pregnant or planning to be, take expensive prescriptions, or qualify for a meaningful tax credit. If that is you, I will say so.

The tax piece

Most self-employed people can deduct their health insurance premiums, which also lowers the income that counts toward a subsidy. How it works for 1099 workers.

Delaware questions I hear a lot

Which carriers sell Marketplace plans in Delaware for 2027?

Two: AmeriHealth Caritas and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware. Ambetter leaves at the end of 2026.

How much are Delaware premiums going up for 2027?

AmeriHealth Caritas proposed about 14% and Highmark about 20%.

Can I buy a short-term plan in Delaware?

Delaware caps short-term coverage at 90 days, so it works only as a brief bridge.

What if I earn more than 400% of the poverty level in Delaware?

You pay the full Marketplace price. For healthy applicants a private medically underwritten plan is often cheaper. I compare both at no cost.

Posey Health Solutions · National Producer Number 20609967 · licensed in Delaware and 30 other states. This page is general information, not advice about a specific plan, and it is not tax advice. Plan availability, carrier participation, and duration limits vary by county, carrier, and plan year, and the rules can change.