Even with Mississippi marketplace premiums rising sharply, you can still purchase a nationwide PPO. Here's how contractors and remodelers from the Gulf Coast to Jackson can compare options and potentially reduce their family's coverage costs.
Hi, I'm Sam Jaber. I work in health insurance, hold a Mississippi license and take care of my clients entirely by telephone.
Construction along the Mississippi Gulf Coast follows the storms. Major hurricanes bring rebuilding projects, while the years between keep contractors working on elevated houses, remodeling and insurance-claim repairs throughout Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs and Bay St. Louis. Farther north, growth in the Jackson suburbs continues to support builders in Madison and Rankin counties. Contractors who own their businesses in either region must arrange their own health insurance. In 2026, that coverage became considerably more expensive. This page is for those builders trying to figure out what to do about the higher bill.
Wherever your construction business operates in Mississippi, I can help you arrange nationwide PPO coverage.
You won't find a PPO among Mississippi's marketplace medical policies. For 2026, HealthCare.gov lists 48 individual medical plans from 5 insurers across the state's 82 counties. That includes 38 HMOs and 10 EPOs, with zero PPOs. Except for emergencies, HMOs and EPOs typically don't cover treatment outside their networks. PPOs provide out-of-network benefits without referrals, although your share of the expense increases. Private policies with medical underwriting can provide nationwide PPO access, with health determining the premium.
Mississippi's average benchmark marketplace premium for a 40-year-old increased 36.5% from 2025 to 2026, according to KFF. A federal premium tax credit can offset much of that increase for eligible households. But if your earnings exceed the credit limits, you're exposed to the full increase.
What matters for a contractor is the company's actual profit, not the amount customers pay. Deduct materials, subcontractors, trucks, trailers, machinery, permit costs and business insurance from revenue. A successful contractor handling regular rebuilds and new residential projects may earn too much for premium credits, making the recent increase especially painful.
Here's the household I have in mind: a successful contractor around Jackson or the Gulf Coast, a family in good health and an HMO or EPO renewal that's increased roughly one-third while remaining limited to a particular network.
In that situation, I'd compare a medically underwritten nationwide PPO. The insurer examines your health history before approving the policy, rejecting the application or offering coverage that excludes a particular previous condition. A favorable medical history can mean a premium below the marketplace's unsubsidized price. The broader network also matters when storm repairs take you into Alabama or Louisiana, or your children attend college outside Mississippi. We'll review each policy's benefits together. Even if someone in your household has an ongoing condition, it's worth checking both possibilities because the outcome depends on that condition.
Next step: Give me a call with your county and the people who need coverage. We'll compare a nationwide PPO quote with the marketplace premiums available at your address.
Newer construction businesses and smaller remodeling firms often have profits low enough to qualify for tax credits. When that's the case, a subsidized HealthCare.gov plan is generally the most affordable choice because private coverage can't use those credits. We'd find an HMO or EPO that includes your physicians, and you'd update your income promptly if storm recovery work boosts your earnings.
Next step: Bring your prior tax return and current signed contracts to our conversation. We'll estimate your earnings and choose a suitable plan.
A slow construction year requires extra care in Mississippi. The state hasn't expanded Medicaid, leaving working adults with very limited eligibility, while marketplace tax credits generally begin at the poverty level. If profits look low, take particular care with your income projection. Also, workers' compensation addresses job-related injuries, not ordinary illnesses.
Next step: If business is unusually slow, call me before signing up. We'll check which coverage you're actually eligible to receive.
Straight answers, no sales pitch.
No. Mississippi's marketplace offers only HMO and EPO medical plans for 2026. Healthy contractors can still obtain a private nationwide PPO, and I can provide pricing.
Marketplace premiums increased broadly. KFF reports a 36.5% rise in Mississippi's average benchmark premium for a 40-year-old between 2025 and 2026.
No. Medicaid expansion has not been implemented in Mississippi.
No. Workers' compensation applies to workplace injuries, not general sickness, preventive visits or medical needs for your family. Those require health coverage.
Share your county, the people needing insurance and an approximate figure for last year's company profit. I'll compare actual premiums and explain whether changing coverage makes sense or your existing plan is worth keeping.
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