Best and cheapest health insurance plans in New Hampshire
Cheapest health insurance companies in New Hampshire
WellSense, Ambetter and Anthem have the most affordable health insurance in New Hampshire, with plans starting at $318 per month before discounts.
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Affordable health insurance plans in New Hampshire
Company |
Cost
| |
|---|---|---|
| WellSense | $318 - $325 |
| Ambetter | $328 - $350 |
| Anthem | $367 - $417 |
| Harvard Pilgrim Health Care | $433 - $470 |
- WellSense has the cheapest plans for most people in New Hampshire with plans starting at $318 per month. This includes those who live in Manchester and Nashua.
- But Ambetter also has affordable medical insurance plans in New Hampshire for about 1 in 5 residents.
Flexible coverage in New Hampshire
Ambetter is the only medical insurance company in New Hampshire to sell EPO (exclusive provider organization) plans. These plans let you see in-network specialists without getting a referral from your primary care doctor.
In contrast, Anthem, Harvard Pilgrim and WellSense only sell HMO (health maintenance organization) plans. HMOs are more restrictive than EPOs because you need your primary care doctor's approval before you see a specialist.
Keep in mind that both HMOs and EPOs limit you to a network of doctors unless you need emergency medical care.
Best health insurance companies in New Hampshire
Anthem has the best health insurance in New Hampshire.
Anthem has a high 4-out-of-5-star rating from HealthCare.gov. Star ratings measure a company's customer satisfaction, plan quality and management. Plus, most doctors and hospitals take Anthem plans, which makes it easier to use your medical insurance plan. That's likely why Anthem is the most popular health insurance company in New Hampshire, selling more than 6 in 10 health plans in the state.
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Best-rated health insurance companies in New Hampshire
Company |
Editor rating
|
ACA rating
|
|---|---|---|
| Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | 4.0 | |
| Ambetter | 4.0 | |
| WellSense Health Plan | NA | |
| Harvard Pilgrim Health Care | 4.0 |
How much is health insurance in New Hampshire?
Health insurance in New Hampshire costs an average of $373 per month at full price or $124 per month after discounts.
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- Higher plan tiers have more expensive rates and cheaper costs you're responsible for paying when you visit the doctor. Lower plan tiers are the opposite. These plans have affordable quotes, but you'll pay more when you visit the doctor.
- A 60-year-old pays more than twice as much as a 40-year-old for the same level of coverage in New Hampshire on average. Medical insurance costs rise as you age. Rates increase slowly when you're younger before spiking as you enter middle age.
Save on New Hampshire health insurance with discounts
In New Hampshire, a Silver health plan costs an average of $124 per month if you qualify for discounts based on your income.
You could save hundreds of dollars per month if you get coverage through the NH health insurance marketplace and qualify for savings. About seven out of 10 people who buy insurance through the New Hampshire health marketplace qualify for discounts, called subsidies.
Your savings go down as your income goes up. That means people who make less money are eligible for larger discounts. Roughly one-fifth of New Hampshire residents with marketplace coverage pay under $10 per month.
To qualify for discounts, you need to make between $15,606 to $60,240 per year as an individual.
You can only get discounted coverage with a Bronze, Silver or Gold plan bought through HealthCare.gov. It's important to remember that not all types of medical insurance qualify for discounts. For example, you can't use discounts with Catastrophic, short-term or supplemental health plans. And if you can get Medicaid because of your income, you can't get subsidies.
Affordable health insurance plans in New Hampshire by city
WellSense has the cheapest health insurance for about 8 in 10 of New Hampshire residents, with plans starting at $318 per month.
WellSense is the most affordable option in most of the state's major cities, including Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Rochester, Dover and Portsmouth. But in Keene, Ambetter has the cheapest Silver plan.
Cheapest health insurance plans by NH county
County | Cheapest plan | Monthly rates |
|---|---|---|
| Belknap | WellSense Clarity NH Silver | $318 |
| Carroll | Ambetter Clear Silver | $328 |
| Cheshire | Ambetter Clear Silver | $328 |
| Coos | Ambetter Clear Silver | $328 |
| Grafton | Ambetter Clear Silver | $328 |
Cheapest Silver plan with rates for a 40-year-old
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Best health insurance by plan tier
The health insurance best plan tier for you depends on your health and financial situation.
Plan tiers have nothing to do with the services you can get. Instead, plan tiers set your monthly rate and the costs you pay when you see the doctor.
Higher plan tiers are typically best for people who have ongoing illnesses. That's because you pay less when you get care. Keep in mind that high plan tiers have expensive monthly rates. This makes Gold plans a poor choice for most people.
Lower plan tiers are a good option if you're healthy and can afford a large, unexpected medical bill. These plans have cheap quotes, but high costs when you go to the hospital.
Consider a Silver plan if you have average medical needs. These plans balance reasonable rates with middle-of-the-road costs when you get care.
Gold plans: Best if you have frequent medical needs
| Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care. |
In New Hampshire, Gold plans cost $409 per month before discounts and have a $1,156 deductible, on average.
A Gold plan is a good choice if you expect to need a lot of medical care in the coming year. That's because these plans pay a larger part of your bills at the doctor's office.
But Gold plans have expensive quotes, which makes them a poor choice for people with average medical needs.
Silver plans: Best for people with average medical needs
| Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care. |
In New Hampshire, Silver plans cost $373 per month before discounts and have a $5,028 deductible, on average.
A Silver health plan is a good choice for people with fairly average health needs. These plans have middle-of-the-road rates and reasonable costs you're responsible for paying when you get care.
Bronze plans: Best if you're healthy and have savings
| Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. |
In New Hampshire, Bronze plans cost $310 per month before discounts and have a $6,045 deductible, on average.
Bronze plans are a good option if you can easily cover a large, surprise medical bill from your savings and you're young and healthy. These plans have affordable quotes, but you'll have to pay a large deductible before coverage starts for most services.
Catastrophic plans: Best for preventing financial disasters
In New Hampshire, catastrophic plans cost $243 per month before discounts but have a $9,200 deductible, on average.
Catastrophic plans offer bare-bones coverage for a low monthly rate.
Catastrophic plans are almost always a bad idea because of their high deductibles. In addition, catastrophic plans aren't eligible for discounts.
That means you can usually get better coverage at a cheaper price if you make a low income. If you don't earn a low income, it's usually a good idea to pay slightly more for better medical insurance. That's because catastrophic plans offer little protection if you get sick or injured.
You can only buy catastrophic coverage if you're under 30 or you can show that you'd struggle to afford a higher plan tier.
Discounted and free health insurance in New Hampshire
New Hampshire residents who earn a low income may qualify for discounted or free health insurance.
NH Medicaid: Best for free health insurance
You may qualify for free health insurance, called Medicaid, if you earn about $21,000 per year or less. You may be eligible for Medicaid at a higher income level if you have children 18 or younger or you're pregnant or disabled.
In New Hampshire, Medicaid is called NH Healthy Families.
Silver plans with cost-sharing reductions: Best if you don't qualify for Medicaid
| Silver plans will pay 73% to 94% of your medical costs if you have a low income. |
You can get extra discounts, called cost-sharing reductions (CSRs), if you have a Silver health plan and earn between $15,060 and $37,650 per year as an individual. Cost-sharing reductions help you pay for the portion of the bill you're responsible for when you see the doctor, such as your deductible, copays and coinsurance.
Are health insurance rates going up in NH?
In New Hampshire, health insurance costs 3% more on average in 2025 compared to 2024.
Silver plans, which are the best option for most people, cost the same for 2025 as they did in 2024. Catastrophic plans had the biggest increase, costing 10% more this year. But medical insurance plans are expected to get considerably more expensive across the board in 2026.
Catastrophic
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $206 | - |
| 2023 | $201 | -2% |
| 2024 | $221 | 10% |
| 2025 | $243 | 10% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Catastrophic
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $206 | - |
| 2023 | $201 | -2% |
| 2024 | $221 | 10% |
| 2025 | $243 | 10% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Bronze
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $271 | - |
| 2023 | $315 | 16% |
| 2024 | $307 | -3% |
| 2025 | $310 | 1% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Silver
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $360 | - |
| 2023 | $372 | 3% |
| 2024 | $373 | 0% |
| 2025 | $373 | 0% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Gold
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $417 | - |
| 2023 | $407 | -2% |
| 2024 | $398 | -2% |
| 2025 | $409 | 3% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Why is health insurance expensive in NH in 2026?
Medical insurance is expected to get more expensive in New Hampshire in 2026 because of inflation and expiring tax credits.
Health insurance rates are expected to rise by an average of 20% nationwide in 2026. That's well above the normal annual increase. Factors driving up the cost of Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans include more expensive prescription drugs, general inflation, higher healthcare costs and the end of Covid-era expanded health insurance subsidies.
Tips to save on medical insurance plans in 2026
- See if you can get free government health insurance, called Medicaid.
- If you earn a low income but don't qualify for Medicaid, you may be able to get discounted marketplace health coverage.
- Compare quotes to find the cheapest plans in your area.
- Lower your monthly rate with a high-deductible health plan (HDHP).
- Then start a health-savings account (HSA) for extra tax savings.
ACA essential health benefits for NH health insurance plans
New Hampshire health insurance marketplace plans have a standard set of benefits. These include important services, such as care for pregnant women, newborns and mental health.
Obamacare plans in New Hampshire also offer several important protections for customers. All exchange plans cap your out of pocket costs. Plus, companies aren't allowed to treat you differently based on your current or past health issues.
Average cost of health insurance plans by family size in New Hampshire
Health insurance in New Hampshire costs an average of $1,192 per month for a family of four.
Health insurance costs more when the plan covers more people. For example, a 40-year-old couple pays an average of $745 per month for medical insurance plans in NH. It costs an average of $223 per month to add a 14-year-old child to the plan. So a family of three pays an average of $969 per month.
Family size | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Individual | $373 |
| Individual + Child | $596 |
| Couple, age 40 | $745 |
| Family of three | $969 |
| Family of four | $1,192 |
Averages based on a Silver plan for 40-year-old adults and children who are under age 15.
You can include children and young adults on a family health insurance plan until they turn 26 years old. After this, young adults usually need to get their own coverage.
Short-term health insurance in New Hampshire
No company currently sells short-term health insurance in New Hampshire.
If you need coverage outside open enrollment, it's a good idea to see if you qualify for a special enrollment period.
You may be eligible for a special enrollment period if you've recently:
- Lost your health coverage or job
- Gotten married or divorced
- Moved to a new area
- Had a big change in the amount of money you make
You also have the option to sign up for if you've recently lost your job. It's important to remember that COBRA plans typically cost more than marketplace coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Is $200 a month expensive for health insurance in New Hampshire?
No, $200 per month is affordable for New Hampshire medical insurance. That's around half the state average before discounts.
What is the average cost of health insurance in NH?
The average cost of a health insurance plan in New Hampshire is $373 per month for an individual Silver health plan. That means NH has the cheapest average rates of any state in the country.
How do I get health insurance in New Hampshire?
The best way to get medical insurance in New Hampshire is by shopping for coverage on HealthCare.gov. You can easily compare plans in your area. Plus, HealthCare.gov automatically shows you what discounts you'll qualify for based on your income.
Who has the best health insurance in NH?
Anthem has the best health insurance in New Hampshire. It has affordable quotes and good service, plus most doctors take the plans.
What is the most affordable health insurance in NH?
WellSense has the most affordable health plans in New Hampshire, with Silver plans starting at $318 per month, on average. But depending on where you live, Ambetter might also have the cheapest plans.
Does New Hampshire have low-income health insurance?
Yes, New Hampshire has free low-income health insurance, called Medicaid or NH Healthy Families, if you earn a low income. You may qualify for Medicaid in NH if you make about $21,000 per year or less as an individual or roughly $44,000 per year or less for a family of four.
Methodology
New Hampshire health insurance rate data for 2025 is from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website. ValuePenguin used the CMS public use files (PUFs) to find average rates for different plan tiers and counties. Rates are for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan, unless otherwise noted. Only plans and insurance companies for which county-level data was included in the CMS Crosswalk file were used in our analysis.
Rates for plans with subsidies are for everyone who shopped for a plan and got advance premium tax credits (APTCs) during 2024 open enrollment.
ValuePenguin assigned a score for each health insurance company in New Hampshire based on rates, coverage, service and unique features. The rankings helped our experts pick the best health insurance company in the state.
Projected rate increases for 2026 came from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).
Other sources include KFF, NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners), the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and S&P Global Capital IQ.
Senior Writer
Talon Abernathy is a ValuePenguin Senior Writer who specializes in health insurance, Medicare and Medicaid. He's also contributed to other insurance verticals including home, renters, auto, motorcycle and flood insurance.
Talon came to ValuePenguin in 2023. Since his arrival, he's helped to expand the site's health insurance-related content offerings. He enjoys helping readers understand the ins and outs of America's all too complicated health insurance landscape.
Before coming to ValuePenguin, Talon worked as a freelance writer. His prior work has touched on a broad range of personal finance-related topics including credit-building strategies, small business incorporation tactics and creative ways to save for retirement.
Insurance tip
In many parts of the country, you can qualify for a free Silver health insurance plan if you meet certain income requirements. Government subsidies in the form of premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions may mean you'll pay nothing for coverage.
Expertise
- Health insurance
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Flood insurance
- Homeowners insurance
- Renters insurance
- Auto and motorcycle insurance
Referenced by
- The Miami Herald
- Money.com
- MSN
- Nasdaq
- The Sacramento Bee
- Yahoo! Finance
Education
- BA, University of Washington
- Certificate in Copyediting, UC San Diego
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.
