Best Cheap Health Insurance in Montana (2026)
Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) of Montana has the best health insurance in Montana. The company's cheapest Bronze plan costs $354 per month before discounts.
Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Montana
Best and cheapest health insurance in Montana
Cheapest health insurance companies in Montana
Of the three health insurance companies in Montana, BCBS of MT has the most affordable quotes, followed by Mountain Health Co-Op, with Bronze plans starting at $354 per month before discounts.
Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Montana
Keep in mind that BCBS is the only company in Montana that sells point of service (POS) plans.
With a POS plan, you need a referral from your primary care doctor before you can see a specialist. That makes POS plans more restrictive than PPO plans. But both POS and PPO plans let you see out-of-network doctors for a higher cost.
Affordable health insurance in Montana
Company |
Cost
| |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana | $354-$673 |
| Mountain Health Co-Op | $445-$611 |
| PacificSource Health Plans | $470-$570 |
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana has the cheapest rates for about two-thirds of Montana residents. BCBS has the most affordable quotes in most of Montana's large cities, including Billings, Missoula, Great Falls and Bozeman. It also has the lowest average deductible for Bronze plans, at $6,169.
- PacificSource Health has the best low-cost medical insurance for rural Montanans. PacificSource Health has the most affordable quotes for about one-third of the individuals who live in Montana.
- Mountain Health Co-Op has the cheapest Catastrophic plans in the Big Sky State. Catastrophic plans are bare-bones plans that don’t cover much but are built to prevent financial debt from a big medical event.
Best health insurance companies in Montana
All three companies earned an excellent rating of 5 out of 5 stars for member experience from HealthCare.gov.
That means customers have an easy time scheduling doctor visits and getting health services. But BCBS stands out for earning a higher rating for medical care than PacificSource Health or Mountain Health Co-Op. BCBS customers had a more positive experience getting medical screenings and monitoring conditions.
Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Montana
Best-rated health insurance companies in Montana
Company |
ACA rating
|
VP rating
|
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana | ||
| Mountain Health Co-Op | ||
| PacificSource Health Plans |
Plus, BCBS of Montana and Mountain Health Co-Op have a good rating of 4 out of 5 stars from ValuePenguin editors.
PacificSource Health Plans: Best if you live in rural Montana
PacificSource has the lowest cost for a Bronze plan in 80% of the counties in Montana and one large city, Butte.
It also has the lowest average out-of-pocket maximum for Bronze plans, at $9,633, which is about $90 cheaper than BCBS.
How much does health insurance cost in Montana?
Montana marketplace insurance costs $547 per month, on average, for a Bronze plan at full price. Silver plans, on average, cost $763 per month at full price or about $307 per month after discounts.
Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Montana
- Higher plan tiers have more expensive monthly rates. But these plans let you pay less when you visit the doctor.
- Health insurance rates increase as you get older. In Montana, 60-year-olds pay more than twice as much as a 40-year-old for the same coverage, on average.
- You might pay less if you qualify for discounts. The size of your discount depends on the amount of money you make. You'll save more if you earn less.
Health insurance discount changes in Montana for 2026
A Silver health insurance plan in Montana costs $763, on average, but it could cost around $307 per month if you get discounts based on your income.
For Montanans who can get subsidies, rates will rise around 71%: from about $179 in 2025 to $307 in 2026. That's because discount levels are changing for 2026. Since 2021, extra discounts, called enhanced subsidies or premium tax credits, have helped Americans with lower incomes pay less for health insurance. Congress voted to let them expire at the end of 2025. While you may still be able to get some discounts, they will be smaller.
Health insurance rates in Montana after subsidies (2025 vs. 2026)
Income | 2025 rate | 2026 rate | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $49 | $155 | 216% |
| $40,000 | $154 | $287 | 86% |
| $50,000 | $283 | $415 | 47% |
| $60,000 | $423 | $498 | 18% |
| $70,000 | $496 | $692 | 40% |
Average cost after subsidies for a single 40-year-old with a Benchmark Silver plan.
- Who can get subsidies? To be eligible, you need to make between $15,650 and $62,600 as a single person (between $31,200 and $124,800 for a family of four).
- How much do you save? You can use ValuePenguin's health insurance subsidy calculator to find out how much a discount could lower your health insurance rate based on your household income and family size.
Affordable health insurance plans in Montana by city
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana has the most affordable medical insurance in most of Montana's largest cities, including Billings, Missoula, Great Falls and Bozeman.
PacificSource has the cheapest rates in Butte.
Cheapest health insurance plan by Montana county
County | Cheapest plan | Monthly rates |
|---|---|---|
| Beaverhead | PacificSource Core Bronze | $505 |
| Big Horn | PacificSource Core Bronze | $505 |
| Blaine | PacificSource Core Bronze | $505 |
| Broadwater | PacificSource Core Bronze | $505 |
| Carbon | BCBS Blue Focus Bronze | $354 |
Cheapest Bronze plan with rates for a 40-year-old
Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Montana
Best health insurance by plan tier
Gold plans have the highest monthly costs, but you'll pay less when you get medical care. That makes Gold plans the best choice if you have ongoing medical needs.
Silver plans have slightly lower rates and middle-of-the-road costs that you're responsible for paying when you visit the doctor. Silver plans can be a good choice if you qualify for discounts and see the doctor just a few times per year.
Bronze plans have the cheapest average rates, but you'll pay a lot of money before most coverage starts. That means you should only choose a Bronze plan if you're in good health and can afford a large, unexpected medical bill.
Gold plans: Best if you have frequent medical needs
| Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care. |
Gold plans cost an average of $788 per month and have a $1,675 deductible, on average, in Montana.
Gold plans are a good choice for individuals who have ongoing health problems. With a Gold plan, you'll pay very little before your coverage starts, and your annual costs are capped at an affordable level.
However, Gold plans have expensive monthly rates. If you're not seriously sick or injured, it usually doesn't make sense to get a Gold plan.
Silver plans: Best if you qualify for discounts
| Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care. |
At full price, Silver plans cost an average of $763 per month and have a $5,535 deductible, on average, in Montana.
Consider a Silver plan if you make a low income and don’t qualify for Medicaid. That's because Silver plans are eligible for extra savings, called cost-sharing reductions, that significantly reduce what you pay when you get medical care (if you qualify).
Bronze plans: Best if you're healthy and have savings
| Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. |
Bronze plans cost an average of $547 per month and have a $7,643 deductible, on average, in Montana.
Bronze plans make sense for young and healthy individuals who can cover a large, unexpected medical bill from their savings. These plans have affordable rates, but you need to pay a high deductible before most services start.
Catastrophic plans: Best for preventing financial catastrophe
Catastrophic plans cost an average of $441 per month and have a $10,600 deductible, on average, in Montana.
Catastrophic plans are almost always a bad idea.
These plans have affordable quotes, but you need to pay $10,600 before coverage starts for nonpreventive services. You can only buy a Catastrophic plan if you're younger than 30 or you qualify for a special exemption.
A Catastrophic plan can help you avoid financial disaster if you become very sick or get into a bad accident. But these plans usually aren't a good choice because of their high deductibles.
Extra discounts and free health insurance plans in Montana
Free and discounted medical insurance is available to Montana residents who make a low income.
Medicaid: Best for free health insurance plans in Montana
You may qualify for free health insurance, called Montana Medicaid, if you earn about $21,597 per year or less as an individual ($44,367 per year or less for a family of four). Pregnant women and children can get coverage with a higher household income.
Are health insurance rates going up in Montana?
The cost of health insurance for Montanans rose an average of 20% from 2025 to 2026.
Catastrophic plans had the largest increase, at 26% more, on average. Bronze plans rose by an average of 18%. The priciest plans had the smallest increase: Gold plans cost about 16% more each month.
Silver plans got around 20% more expensive between 2025 and 2026, but they had the largest price increase over five years, with a 59% increase since 2022.
Catastrophic
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $312 | – |
| 2023 | $311 | 0% |
| 2024 | $339 | 9% |
| 2025 | $350 | 3% |
| 2026 | $441 | 26% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Catastrophic
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $312 | – |
| 2023 | $311 | 0% |
| 2024 | $339 | 9% |
| 2025 | $350 | 3% |
| 2026 | $441 | 26% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Bronze
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $413 | – |
| 2023 | $394 | -5% |
| 2024 | $432 | 10% |
| 2025 | $464 | 7% |
| 2026 | $547 | 18% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old. Expanded Bronze plans are included in 2024, 2025 and 2026 averages, when they're offered.
Silver
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $479 | – |
| 2023 | $519 | 8% |
| 2024 | $568 | 9% |
| 2025 | $636 | 12% |
| 2026 | $763 | 20% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Gold
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $516 | – |
| 2023 | $562 | 9% |
| 2024 | $623 | 11% |
| 2025 | $680 | 9% |
| 2026 | $788 | 16% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Why is health insurance expensive in Montana in 2026?
Expiring tax credits, higher health care costs, inflation and expensive prescription drugs are causing a rapid increase in Montana health insurance rates for 2026.
Expiring COVID-19-era federal subsidies are playing a large part in rising prices. Although these subsidies go directly to customers, a reduction could still impact health insurance rates more broadly. That's because more expensive health insurance quotes may cause healthier individuals to leave the marketplace, driving up rates for those who remain.
The increased use of costly GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy and Ozempic and tariff-driven price hikes are also contributing to higher rates.
Tips for getting cheap Montana medical insurance in 2026
- Before you start shopping, check to see if you can get free government health insurance, called Medicaid.
- If you're not eligible for Medicaid, you may still qualify for discounted coverage through HealthCare.gov.
- You can find more affordable quotes by choosing a high-deductible health plan (HDHP).
- If you have a high-deductible health plan, you can save on your tax bill by contributing to a health savings account (HSA). For 2026, all Bronze and Catastrophic plans are HSA-eligible.
- When shopping for insurance, it's important to compare quotes from different companies to get the most affordable coverage available.
Essential health coverage in Montana
Plans bought through the health insurance marketplace offer several important protections. For example, all plans sold on HealthCare.gov have to cover 10 essential benefits.
Services all Obamacare plans cover
- Hospital care
- Outpatient care
- Emergency care
- Laboratory services
- Coverage for babies
- Prescription drug coverage
- Preventive and wellness care
- Rehabilitation services and devices
- Care for pregnant women and newborns
- Mental health and substance use disorders
Plus, all marketplace plans have caps on how much you'll have to pay for care in a single year, called an out-of-pocket maximum.
Finally, companies can't consider your health history when calculating quotes or selling coverage. That means you won't pay a higher rate or get denied coverage if you have a serious disease like cancer or diabetes.
But if you’re older than 18, your health plan isn’t required to include eye and dental coverage. You can check that your plan specifically includes those, or you can shop around for separate vision and dental plans.
Average cost of health insurance by family size in Montana
How much you pay in total for your health insurance plan depends on the size of your family.
In Montana, for a Bronze plan, you'll pay an average of $327 per month for each child under the age of 15 in your family. After age 15, medical insurance rates increase with a child's age.
A family in Montana with a single 40-year-old and one 14-year-old on a Bronze plan pays $874 per month before discounts on average. A couple with one child pays an average of $1,420 per month, and a family of four pays $1,747 per month, on average.
Family size | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Individual | $547 |
| Individual and child | $874 |
| Couple | $1,093 |
| Family of three | $1,420 |
| Family of four | $1,747 |
Averages based on a Bronze plan for 40-year-old adults and children who are under age 15.
Short-term health insurance plans in Montana
In 2025, the current administration undid a Biden-era rule that limited short-term health plans to three months. Although the government hasn't announced when this change will go into effect, short-term health insurance with terms of up to 364 days could be available in Montana sometime in 2026.
Short-term plans are usually a bad option because they offer fewer benefits and protections than Obamacare plans. However, if you need coverage outside of open enrollment and you're not eligible for what's called a special enrollment period, short-term plans are a good stopgap option.
Pros of short-term health insurance plans in Montana
Cons of short-term health insurance plans in Montana
Health insurance enrollment by income level in Montana
The changes to health insurance discounts in 2026 affect people with low incomes the most.
That's because people with lower incomes are more likely to get insurance from HealthCare.gov. For example, in Montana in 2025, over half of people with a marketplace plan made less than $37,650.
Enrollment by income
Income | % of total enrollment |
|---|---|
| Less than $15,060 | 1% |
| $15,060 to $20,783 | 4% |
| $20,784 to $22,590 | 13% |
| $22,591 to $30,120 | 19% |
| $30,121 to $37,650 | 14% |
Enrollment in 2025 marketplace plans made during the 2024-2025 open enrollment period. Total may not be 100% due to rounding.
Frequently asked questions
Is $200 a month expensive for health insurance in Montana?
No, $200 per month is an affordable price for individual health insurance in Montana. That's less than half of the average cost of coverage before discounts in the state.
How do I get health insurance in Montana?
The best way to get health insurance in Montana is by shopping for coverage on HealthCare.gov. It's easy to compare the coverage options in your area, and you'll automatically see what discounts, called subsidies, you're eligible for.
Who has the best health insurance in Montana?
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana has the best health insurance in the Big Sky State because it offers a combination of cheap quotes, quality plans and good customer service.
What is the cheapest health insurance in Montana?
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana has the cheapest Obamacare plans in Montana, starting at $354 per month for an individual Bronze plan before discounts. But the cheapest plans from BCBS are its POS plans, which offer less flexibility than PPO plans.
What's the average cost of health insurance in Montana?
The average cost of a Silver health insurance plan in Montana is $763 per month if you pay full price, but it could cost around $307 per month, {"content":"Rates after subsidies are estimates for a 40-year-old buying a Benchmark Silver plan.","icon":"","label":"","triggerText":"$307 per month,"} after discounts.
Methodology
Montana health insurance rate data for 2026 is from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website. ValuePenguin used the CMS public use files to find average rates for different plan tiers, geographic locations and family sizes.
Rates
Rates are based on a 40-year-old with a Bronze plan, unless otherwise noted. Rates for Bronze plans include regular and Expanded Bronze plans for 2024, 2025 and 2026, when the plans are available. Your costs and plan options will vary; plans aren't always available in all parts of a state or county.
Subsidies
Rates after subsidies are estimates for a 40-year-old with a Benchmark Silver plan and are based on how subsidies were structured before 2021. Prices are calculated using KFF's rates for full-price Benchmark plans, federal poverty levels (FPLs), IRS rules about premium tax credits and Congressional reports about expanded tax credits. The total cost in the state uses rates calculated by income, which are weighted using CMS data on the incomes of those who purchased plans during 2024-2025 open enrollment. The median was used for each income range. Unknown incomes were excluded from the calculations. Incomes of 100% of the federal poverty line and 500% of the federal poverty line were assumed for enrollees who earn less than 100% FPL and more than 500% FPL, respectively. Information about state subsidies, when available, was sourced from state marketplaces.
Ratings
ValuePenguin's experts rank companies based on cost, coverage options, customer satisfaction and unique value. Ratings are out of 100 possible points. ACA ratings show how the company performs in Montana for medical care, member experience and plan administration. The 2026 plan quality data from CMS is based on data from the previous year. Ratings are not available for new plans or plans with low enrollment.
More sources
Enrollment trends, including plan selections by tier and enrollment by income, are from CMS data for the 2024-2025 open enrollment period.
Other sources include S&P Global Capital IQ and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
Senior Writer
Jenn Jones is a Senior Writer at LendingTree where she covers auto, home, renters and motorcycle insurance topics.
Previously an editor for USA TODAY Blueprint and a finance manager at World Car dealerships, she has more than a decade of experience in the world of personal finance and a deep interest in sharing knowledge that empowers others. She’s also served as a freelance translator, copy editor, writer and researcher. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in commerce and a B.A. in Chinese language and literature.
How insurance helped Jenn
Jenn first came to appreciate pet insurance when annual checkups for her cat and dog totaled more than $700.
Expertise
- Auto insurance
- Renters insurance
- Condo insurance
- Home insurance
Referenced by
- USA TODAY
- MSN
- F&I Magazine
- Automotive News
Education
- BS, Commerce, University of Virginia
- BA, Chinese Language and Literature, University of Virginia
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.
