Best Cheap Health Insurance in Massachusetts (2024)
Health New England has the best health insurance in Massachusetts. Its cheapest Silver plan costs $544 per month before discounts.
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Cheapest health insurance companies in Massachusetts
WellSense Health Plan sells the cheapest Silver plans in Massachusetts. Rates start at $389 per month.
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Affordable health insurance in Massachusetts
Company |
Cost
| |
|---|---|---|
| WellSense Health Plan | $389 - $442 |
| Tufts Health Plan Direct | $411 - $472 |
| Fallon Health | $439 - $460 |
| Health New England | $544 - $544 |
- WellSense Health Plan sells the cheapest Silver plan for nearly everyone in Massachusetts.
- If you want the freedom to choose your doctors, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is a better choice. BCBS has a large network of doctors and hospitals, which lets you use your health insurance in more places.
Best health insurance companies in Massachusetts
Health New England is the best health insurance company in Massachusetts.
It has a perfect 5.0 rating from HealthCare.gov, which means that it sells plans with quality coverage and has good customer satisfaction. Health New England is also cheap, with Silver plans starting at $544 per month.
Best-rated health insurance companies in Massachusetts
Company |
Editor rating
|
ACA rating
|
|---|---|---|
| Health New England | 5.0 | |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA | 5.0 | |
| Tufts Health Plan Direct | 4.0 | |
| UnitedHealthcare | NA | |
| Fallon Health | 4.0 |
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Harvard Pilgrim and Mass General Brigham also have perfect 5.0 ratings from HealthCare.gov. While you're shopping for coverage, comparing these three companies is a good idea.
Most popular health insurance: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBS of MA) is the most popular health insurance company in the state, selling more than half of all plans.
BCBS is one of the best companies in Massachusetts if you want excellent customer service. The company gets 96% fewer complaints than an average company its size.
But Blue Cross Blue Shield has high rates in Massachusetts, so it's not the best option if you want a cheap plan. Its cheapest Silver plan costs $739 per month, which is $100 more per month than the state average and $350 more per month than a plan from WellSense.
How much does health insurance cost in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts health insurance costs an average of $639 per month, but you could pay $118 per month, on average, if you qualify for discounts based on your income.
- The plan tier you choose will impact your health insurance costs. Higher plan tiers have more expensive monthly rates than lower plan tiers, such as Silver, Bronze and Catastrophic plans.
- But you'll pay less when you visit the doctor or fill a prescription with a higher plan tier. Lower plan tiers usually have high costs when you get medical care.
- Your age is also a big factor in how much you'll pay. In Massachusetts, the cost of a Silver plan jumps by almost 70% between the ages of 40 and 60.
Get affordable health insurance in Massachusetts with subsidies
Massachusetts health insurance costs $118 per month, on average, if you get discounts based on your income.
More than 8 in 10 people who buy marketplace health insurance in Massachusetts qualify for discounts based on their income. One type of discount, called a rate subsidy, lowers your monthly rate. In Massachusetts, about 1 in 5 people who qualify for rate subsidies pay $10 or less each month for a plan.
You qualify for rate subsidies if you are single and make between $14,580 and $58,320 per year. If you're a family of four, you have to make between $30,000 and $120,000 per year. You can apply a subsidy to Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum plans from any company.
If you qualify for rate subsidies, you might also qualify for another type of discount called cost-sharing reductions. These savings lower what you pay when you go to the doctor.
Cheap Massachusetts health insurance plans by city
WellSense Health Plan is the cheapest company in all of Massachusetts' major cities.
That includes Boston, Worcester, Springfield and Cambridge. In fact, WellSense sells the cheapest Silver plan in nearly every Massachusetts county. For 98% of the state's population, WellSense is the cheapest.
Cheapest health insurance by MA county
County | Cheapest plan | Monthly rates |
|---|---|---|
| Barnstable | WellSense Standard High Silver | $442 |
| Berkshire | Tufts Direct Standard Silver | $432 |
| Bristol | WellSense Standard High Silver | $396 |
| Dukes | Mass General Brigham Standard Silver | $645 |
| Essex | WellSense Standard High Silver | $389 |
Cheapest Silver plan with rates for a 40-year-old
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In Berkshire County, Tufts Health Plan is the cheapest option. And in Dukes and Nantucket, Mass General Brigham sells the cheapest Silver plan.
Best health insurance by level of coverage
No matter where you live in Massachusetts, you will get the chance to choose from four different plan tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
Lower plan tiers, like Bronze, pay for less of your health care, while higher plan tiers, like Platinum, pay for more. When choosing a plan, try to balance your monthly budget and your healthcare needs.
Platinum plans: Best if you have a chronic or complex condition
| Platinum plans pay for about 90% of your medical care. |
Platinum plans are best if you have a chronic or complex condition to manage, or if you take expensive prescriptions or need pricey medical treatments.
These plans have high monthly rates which are balanced out by low out-of-pocket costs. This means you'll pay less when you go to the doctor, because Platinum plans have lower deductibles, copays and coinsurance than higher-tier plans.
Platinum plans cost $898 per month, on average, in Massachusetts.
Gold plans: Best if you need frequent medical care
| Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care. |
Gold plans are cheaper than Platinum plans but still pay for a large share of your medical bills. They're a good option if you go to the doctor often or expect to need medical care in the coming year.
For example, if you plan to have a baby or think you'll need a surgery, a Gold plan might be a good idea.
In Massachusetts, Gold plans cost an average of $706 per month.
Silver plans: Best if you have moderate medical needs
| Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care. |
Silver plans are best for most people because they balance good coverage with affordable rates. They might be a good idea if you go to the doctor a handful of times each year or have a moderate health condition to manage.
If you aren't sure how much coverage you need, start by looking at Silver plans and deciding if they're right for you.
Silver plans cost an average of $639 per month in Massachusetts.
Bronze plans: Best if you're healthy and have emergency savings
| Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. |
Bronze plans often have the cheapest monthly health insurance rates. They can be a good option if you're young, healthy and don't expect to need much medical care.
But you should make sure you have savings in the bank to pay for higher medical costs if you're sick or injured, since Bronze plans don't pay as much of your medical bills.
Bronze plans in Massachusetts cost $476 per month, on average.
Catastrophic health insurance isn't available in Massachusetts for 2024. These plans have very cheap monthly rates and high out-of-pocket costs.
Only people under the age of 30 or those who qualify for a special hardship exemption can buy a Catastrophic plan even when they're available. Catastrophic health insurance plans are rarely a good idea financially, because they offer very little coverage and can leave you with high medical bills.
Cheap or free health insurance in Massachusetts if you have a low income
If you have a low income and can't afford insurance, or if you're struggling to pay your medical bills even with insurance, there are a few options.
MassHealth: Medicaid in Massachusetts
Medicaid is a type of free health insurance from the government.
In Massachusetts, Medicaid is called MassHealth. You can qualify for Medicaid if you earn roughly $20,000 as a single person or $40,000 as a family of four. You should consider applying for Medicaid if your income is within this range, since there's no monthly cost to you.
If you're over the age of 65, you should see if you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. This can increase your coverage and lower your medical costs even more.
Use cost-sharing reductions for cheaper medical care
If you buy a Silver plan, you may get discounts that lower the cost of your medical care. These are called cost-sharing reductions (CSRs), and they let you pay less when you go to the doctor by lowering your deductible, copay and coinsurance.
Are health insurance rates going up in MA?
In 2024, the average cost of health insurance in Massachusetts rose by 16% for Silver plans.
But Bronze plans saw a far more modest 3% increase, and the price of Gold plans stayed the same. The cost of a Platinum plan actually decreased by 6%.
Tier | 2023 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | $464 | $476 | 3% |
| Silver | $553 | $639 | 16% |
| Gold | $706 | $706 | 0% |
| Platinum | $951 | $898 | -6% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Plan tiers don't have anything to do with the quality of care you get or the types of medical care is covered by your plan. All plans from Massachusetts Health Connector, the state's health insurance marketplace, cover at least 10 health circumstances.
- Doctor visits
- Preventive and wellness care
- Emergency care
- Hospital stays
- Prescription medications
- Lab services
- Pregnancy, maternity and newborn care
- Pediatric care
- Mental health and substance use care
- Rehab services
The difference between the plan tiers is how much you pay each month and how much you pay when you go to the doctor.
COBRA health insurance in Massachusetts
COBRA health insurance in MA costs $738 per month if you're single and $2,071 per month if you're a family.
COBRA is a program that lets you keep the health insurance you had with your employer if you quit, lose or retire from your job. The coverage usually lasts up to a year and a half from the time you lose your job. The catch is that you have to pay full price for the plan; your employer no longer chips in.
Unless you need a specific coverage that your employer plan had, a plan from the Massachusetts health insurance marketplace is likely to be a better option. And it will almost certainly be much cheaper.
Short-term health insurance in Massachusetts
In 2024, no health insurance companies sell short-term health insurance in Massachusetts.
If you're in need of health insurance due to a sudden loss of coverage, you should see if you have an IRS qualifying event. This lets you sign up for health insurance outside the open enrollment period.
Frequently asked questions
Does Massachusetts have free health insurance?
In Massachusetts, you can sign up for MassHealth, which is the state-specific name for Massachusetts's Medicaid program if you earn a low income. The program gives you free health insurance if you make around $20,000 for a single person and $40,000 for a family of four in 2024.
How much does health insurance cost per month in Massachusetts?
Health insurance costs $639 per month, on average, in Massachusetts for a 40-year-old with a Silver health plan. Your age, plan level and location all influence your health insurance quotes.
What is the most popular health insurance in Massachusetts?
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of MA is the most popular health insurance company in Massachusetts, selling more than half of the state's health insurance plans. It is well-rated for plan quality and is available throughout the state.
However, BCBS is one of the most expensive health insurance companies in MA. Harvard Pilgrim is a good alternative since it offers similar levels of quality at a lower price.
Methodology
Health insurance rates in Massachusetts are from Massachusetts Health Connector, the state's Affordable Care Act marketplace. Average rates are for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan, unless a different age or plan level is specifically noted. Plans and providers for which county-level data was included in the CMS Crosswalk file were used in our analysis; those excluded from this dataset may not appear.
The cost of health insurance plans with subsidies is based on data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The data is for everyone who shopped for health insurance during 2024 open enrollment and also qualified for advanced premium tax credits (APTCs). Info about COBRA in Massachusetts is from KFF.
Additional sources include the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and S&P Global Capital IQ.
Editorial note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.