Best Cheap Health Insurance in Michigan 2019
Find the Cheapest Health Insurance Quotes in Your Area
In Michigan, you can find cheap health insurance plans on the state exchange, though the best plan available will depend on the county you live in and the coverage you choose. To help you find the best health insurance coverage, we evaluated all Silver plans in Michigan and found that the cheapest policy was either the Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver, McLaren Silver Standard or Meridian Healthy Silver in the majority of the state. However, the Silver plans offered by Total Health Care USA and Physicians Health were the most affordable in the few counties where they offered coverage, so we recommend comparing rates from insurers before purchasing a policy.
Cheapest Health Insurance by Metal Tier
We compared health insurance plans in Michigan by metal tier in order to determine the best, cheap policies available for each level of coverage. The insurers and health plans available will change depending on the county you live in, so those listed below may not be offered in your region. We recommend using these as a starting point to determine the costs and benefits you can expect from a given metal tier of coverage.
| Metal Tier | Cheapest Plan | Deductible | Out of Pocket Maximum | Monthly Cost for a 40-Year-Old |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | Meridian Catastrophic | $7,350 | $7,350 | $196.20 |
| Bronze | Total Saver Complete | $7,150 | $7,150 | $218.57 |
| Expanded Bronze | Molina Marketplace Bronze Plan | $6,400 | $7,350 | $228.03 |
| Silver | Totally You - Value | $5,000 | $7,350 | $298.08 |
| Gold | Total HMO Standard | $1,000 | $5,000 | $341.45 |
| Platinum | Sparrow PHP Platinum 250 Exclusive | $250 | $1,500 | $498.05 |
Higher metal tiers of coverage have lower out of pocket costs, meaning you'll pay less in the event you need to use your health insurance, but they also come with more expensive premiums. In addition to the level of coverage you choose, your age is a significant factor in determining health insurance rates, as premiums get more expensive as you get older. As you can see below, a 40-year-old, for instance, would pay 53% cheaper rates for health insurance than a 60-year-old.
Finding the Best Health Insurance Coverage in Michigan
The best cheap health plan available for you in Michigan will depend upon the county you live, as this determines which plans are offered, as well as your income. In each county, you'll be able to choose among metal tiers of coverage, which indicate both a plan's monthly premiums and benefits. Generally, higher metal tier plans have more expensive premiums, but out-of-pocket costs, such as deductibles, copays and coinsurance, are much lower. Lower-metal-tier health plans, on the other hand, have cheaper monthly rates alongside much higher cost sharing features.
So, for instance, if you're young and have had no health issues, your net cost would likely be lower with a Silver or Bronze plan, since you're likely to have fewer medical expenses throughout the year. However, if you became ill and needed to be hospitalized, your total expenses may be higher, as you'd need to cover large out-of-pocket costs before your health insurance would provide coverage.
Gold & Platinum Plans: Best for High Medical Costs
Gold and Platinum health plans in have the most expensive monthly premiums, but they also offer the cheapest out-of-pocket expenses, such as deductibles and copays. So, if you have high expected medical expenses, such as costly ongoing prescriptions, a higher metal tier policy may be your best choice for health insurance.
Silver Plans: Best if You Have Low Income or Moderate Medical Expenses
Silver plans are often the best health insurance option if you're looking for a middle ground to balance affordable premiums and out-of-pocket costs. They also are eligible for cost-sharing subsidies for lower-income households, which can help to make your health coverage more affordable.
Bronze & Catastrophic Plans: Best for Healthy People with Emergency Savings
Bronze and Catastrophic plans have the cheapest monthly health insurance rates, which make them a great choice for young, healthy people with low expected medical costs. But we wouldn't recommend these policies unless you have the financial resources to cover the high out of pocket expenses in case of an emergency. Low metal tiers have the highest deductibles, copays and coinsurance, meaning coverage won't be extended until you've covered these costs yourself. Also note that Catastrophic plans aren't available unless you're under the age of 30 or meet certain exemptions, so this option may not be available to you.
Medicaid
Michigan expanded Medicaid for residents under the Affordable Care Act, so depending on your income, you may qualify Medicaid or a qualified health plan. However, Michigan is different from other states in that, if your household income is greater than the federal poverty level and you enroll for Medicaid, you must contribute 2% of your annual income to a health savings account.
Short-Term Health Insurance in Michigan
You can purchase short-term health insurance in Michigan, but policies are restricted when compared to the federal guidelines for these types of plans. If you have a short-term plan, coverage would only be provided for up to six months, and renewals would be prohibited.
Although short-term plans provide a variety of coverage benefits, they do not cover some of the essential benefits including maternity, mental health and prescription drugs. Before purchasing a short-term health plan, you should make sure the policy is appropriate for your needs.
Find the Cheapest Health Insurance Quotes in Your Area
Best Cheap Health Insurance Companies in Michigan
For those looking to compare policies, there are currently eight health insurance companies on the Michigan state exchange:
- Blue Care Network of Michigan
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Mutual Insurance Co.
- McLaren Health Plan Community
- Meridian Health Plan of Michigan Inc.
- Molina Healthcare of Michigan Inc.
- Physicians Health Plan
- Priority Health
- Total Health Care USA Inc.
Not all of these insurers are available in every region—only Blue Care Network of Michigan and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan offer health insurance in every county in the state. If they offer coverage in your county, we recommend starting your search with Total Health Care USA and Physicians Health. These companies offered health insurance plans in four and eight regions respectively, however, their Silver plans were typically the cheapest in every region where they're available.
| Total Health Care USA Counties | Physicians Health Counties |
|---|---|
| Genesee | Clinton |
| Macomb | Eaton |
| Oakland | Gratiot |
| Wayne | Ingham |
| Ionia | |
| Isabella | |
| Montcalm | |
| Shiawassee |
If you live in a county where these insurers aren't available, the best, cheap health insurance plan will likely be offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield, McLaren or Meridian. These companies offered the cheapest Silver health insurance plans in the majority of Michigan.
Cheapest Health Insurance Plan By County
The county where you live in Michigan will determine the health insurance companies and plans available. To help you find the best health plan for yourself, we compared rates from every policy in the state to determine the cheapest Silver policy in each county. Your actual cost of health insurance will vary depending on your age and family size, but we recommend using this as a starting point to determine the most affordable health coverage near you.
| County | Cheapest Silver Plan | Single Adult, Age 40 | Couple, Age 40 | Couple, Age 40, and Child |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcona | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $404 | $808 | $1,050 |
| Alger | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $528 | $1,057 | $1,373 |
| Allegan | McLaren Silver Standard | $435 | $870 | $1,130 |
| Alpena | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $404 | $808 | $1,050 |
| Antrim | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $392 | $783 | $1,018 |
| Arenac | McLaren Silver Standard | $384 | $769 | $999 |
| Baraga | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $528 | $1,057 | $1,373 |
| Barry | McLaren Silver Standard | $435 | $870 | $1,130 |
| Bay | McLaren Silver Standard | $384 | $769 | $999 |
| Benzie | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $392 | $783 | $1,018 |
| Berrien | Meridian Healthy Silver | $451 | $902 | $1,172 |
| Branch | McLaren Silver Standard | $467 | $934 | $1,213 |
| Calhoun | Blue Cross® Select HMO Silver Saver | $440 | $879 | $1,142 |
| Cass | McLaren Silver Standard | $445 | $890 | $1,157 |
| Charlevoix | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $392 | $783 | $1,018 |
| Cheboygan | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $404 | $808 | $1,050 |
| Chippewa | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $404 | $808 | $1,050 |
| Clare | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $433 | $866 | $1,125 |
| Clinton | Sparrow PHP Silver 7000 Exclusive | $344 | $688 | $894 |
| Crawford | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $404 | $808 | $1,050 |
| Delta | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $528 | $1,057 | $1,373 |
| Dickinson | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $528 | $1,057 | $1,373 |
| Eaton | Sparrow PHP Silver 7000 Exclusive | $344 | $688 | $894 |
| Emmet | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $392 | $783 | $1,018 |
| Genesee | Totally You - Value | $298 | $596 | $775 |
| Gladwin | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $433 | $866 | $1,125 |
| Gogebic | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $528 | $1,057 | $1,373 |
| Grand Traverse | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $392 | $783 | $1,018 |
| Gratiot | McLaren Silver Standard | $384 | $769 | $999 |
| Hillsdale | McLaren Silver Standard | $425 | $851 | $1,105 |
| Houghton | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $528 | $1,057 | $1,373 |
| Huron | McLaren Silver Standard | $410 | $820 | $1,065 |
| Ingham | Sparrow PHP Silver 7000 Exclusive | $344 | $688 | $894 |
| Ionia | Sparrow PHP Silver 7000 Exclusive | $344 | $688 | $894 |
| Iosco | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $404 | $808 | $1,050 |
| Iron | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $528 | $1,057 | $1,373 |
| Isabella | Sparrow PHP Silver 3000 HMO | $406 | $813 | $1,056 |
| Jackson | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $443 | $887 | $1,152 |
| Kalamazoo | Blue Cross® Select HMO Silver Saver | $440 | $879 | $1,142 |
| Kalkaska | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $392 | $783 | $1,018 |
| Kent | Molina Marketplace Silver Plan | $350 | $699 | $908 |
| Keweenaw | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $528 | $1,057 | $1,373 |
| Lake | Meridian Healthy Silver | $386 | $771 | $1,002 |
| Lapeer | Meridian Healthy Silver | $365 | $729 | $947 |
| Leelanau | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $392 | $783 | $1,018 |
| Lenawee | McLaren Silver Standard | $439 | $878 | $1,141 |
| Livingston | Blue Cross® Select HMO Silver Saver | $406 | $812 | $1,055 |
| Luce | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $528 | $1,057 | $1,373 |
| Mackinac | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $404 | $808 | $1,050 |
| Macomb | Totally You - Value | $298 | $596 | $775 |
| Manistee | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $392 | $783 | $1,018 |
| Marquette | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $528 | $1,057 | $1,373 |
| Mason | Meridian Healthy Silver | $386 | $771 | $1,002 |
| Mecosta | Meridian Healthy Silver | $386 | $771 | $1,002 |
| Menominee | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $528 | $1,057 | $1,373 |
| Midland | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $433 | $866 | $1,125 |
| Missaukee | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $392 | $783 | $1,018 |
| Monroe | Meridian Healthy Silver | $360 | $721 | $936 |
| Montcalm | Sparrow PHP Silver 7000 Exclusive | $344 | $688 | $894 |
| Montmorency | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $404 | $808 | $1,050 |
| Muskegon | Meridian Healthy Silver | $386 | $771 | $1,002 |
| Newaygo | Meridian Healthy Silver | $386 | $771 | $1,002 |
| Oakland | Totally You - Value | $298 | $596 | $775 |
| Oceana | Meridian Healthy Silver | $386 | $771 | $1,002 |
| Ogemaw | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $404 | $808 | $1,050 |
| Ontonagon | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $528 | $1,057 | $1,373 |
| Osceola | Meridian Healthy Silver | $386 | $771 | $1,002 |
| Oscoda | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $404 | $808 | $1,050 |
| Otsego | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $404 | $808 | $1,050 |
| Ottawa | Meridian Healthy Silver | $386 | $771 | $1,002 |
| Presque Isle | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $404 | $808 | $1,050 |
| Roscommon | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $404 | $808 | $1,050 |
| Saginaw | McLaren Silver Standard | $384 | $769 | $999 |
| Saint Clair | Blue Cross® Select HMO Silver Saver | $410 | $820 | $1,066 |
| Saint Joseph | McLaren Silver Standard | $445 | $890 | $1,157 |
| Sanilac | McLaren Silver Standard | $410 | $820 | $1,065 |
| Schoolcraft | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $528 | $1,057 | $1,373 |
| Shiawassee | Sparrow PHP Silver 7000 Exclusive | $344 | $688 | $894 |
| Tuscola | McLaren Silver Standard | $410 | $820 | $1,065 |
| Van Buren | MyPriority Silver 3200 - Bronson Healthcare Partners | $425 | $850 | $1,104 |
| Washtenaw | Meridian Healthy Silver | $391 | $781 | $1,015 |
| Wayne | Totally You - Value | $298 | $596 | $775 |
| Wexford | Blue Cross® Preferred HMO Silver Saver | $392 | $783 | $1,018 |
Average Cost of Health Insurance by Family Size in Michigan
Larger families in Michigan will pay higher premiums for health insurance as more people are added to the policy. The cost of adding another family member to your health coverage will depend on their age. Children under the age of 15 are charged a flat rate, while older children and your spouse will be charged a rate that increases each year as they age.
So, for instance, if you and your spouse were covered by a Silver plan and wanted to add coverage for your new child, your monthly premium would increase by approximately $288—the average cost to add health insurance for a child in Michigan. On the other hand, if you've just gotten married and want to add your 40-year-old spouse to your policy, your premiums would double—increasing by $481 per month—assuming you're the same age.
| Family Size | Average Monthly Cost of Health Plan |
|---|---|
| Single Adult | $481 |
| Adult Couple | $962 |
| Family of three (Adult couple and a child) | $1,251 |
| Family of four (Adult couple and two children) | $1,539 |
| Family of five (Adult couple and three children) | $1,827 |
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.