Uber, DoorDash, and Instacart drivers on Obamacare
Updated November 2026
If you drive or deliver for an app and buy your own health insurance, your Marketplace subsidy was based on a guess of what you would earn. Gig income swings from month to month, so this is one of the most common ways people end up repaying their subsidy, and for 2026 there is no cap on that repayment.
What counts
What matters is your net profit: your earnings minus business expenses such as mileage or car costs, phone, and supplies. That's the number on Schedule C, and it flows into the income used for your subsidy. Tips count. Money paid to you through Cash App, PayPal or Venmo for work counts even if you never receive a 1099.
How to avoid a surprise
- Track as you go. Log your earnings and miles every month, not just in April.
- Update the Marketplace when your expected yearly income changes. Lower advance payments for the rest of the year means less to repay.
- Know your limit. For 2026 coverage, one person loses the whole subsidy above $62,600 of income in the 48 contiguous states.
- Use the deductions you're owed: the self-employed health insurance deduction, half of self-employment tax, and SEP-IRA or traditional IRA contributions all lower the income that counts.
See your estimated 2026 repayment, including the self-employed health insurance deduction.
Estimate your 2026 repaymentIncome Watch tracks your income month by month and tells you when to update the Marketplace.
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This guide is general information, not tax advice. Clawback Check is not affiliated with HealthCare.gov, any state Marketplace, or the IRS.