Best Cheap Health Insurance in Rhode Island (2025)
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island has the best health insurance plans in Rhode Island, at $454 per month before discounts.
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Best and cheapest health insurance in Rhode Island
Cheapest health insurance companies in Rhode Island
Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island has the cheapest health insurance in RI, at $404 per month, on average.
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Affordable health insurance in Rhode Island
Company |
Cost
| |
|---|---|---|
| Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island | $404 - $425 |
| Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island | $454 - $575 |
- Neighborhood Health Plan has the most affordable health insurance everywhere in Rhode Island. That includes large cities like Providence, Woonsocket and Newport.
- Neighborhood Health Plan only sells HMO (health maintenance organization) plans. These plans tend to have cheap rates, but they limit you to a network of doctors.
- **Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) is a good choice if you want more flexibility when it comes to choosing your doctor. BCBS sells PPO (preferred provider organization) plans which typically cost more, but give you greater freedom when it comes to choosing your doctors.
Best health insurance companies in Rhode Island
Blue Cross Blue Shield is the best health insurance company in Rhode Island.
Best-rated health insurance companies in Rhode Island
Company |
Editor rating
|
ACA rating
|
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island | 5.0 | |
| Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island | 4.0 |
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- Blue Cross Blue Shield has the largest network of doctors and hospitals nationwide. That makes it a good choice if you want to choose from a wide range of doctors over getting the cheapest price.
- Neighborhood Health Plan only offers only HMOs (health maintenance organization) plans in Rhode Island. HMOs typically have cheap rates, but you can only use doctors in your plan's network unless you have an emergency.
How much is health insurance in Rhode Island?
Health insurance in Rhode Island costs an average of $477 per month at full price or $106 per month after discounts.
- Health insurance gets more expensive as you age. Rates stay low in your twenties and thirties before rising sharply in middle age.
- Higher plan tiers cost more each month, but you pay less when you go to the hospital. Lower plan tiers have cheap rates, but you're responsible for a larger portion of your medical bill.
- How much you save on your monthly rate depends on how much money you make. Typically, the lower your household income, the higher your subsidy.
Save on Rhode Island health insurance with discounts
People in Rhode Island who are eligible for discounts pay $106 per month, on average, for marketplace coverage.
Almost nine out of 10 Rhode Island residents with marketplace coverage qualify for subsidies, and three in 10 pay less than $10 per month for coverage.
You can automatically apply these discounts, called subsidies or premium tax credits, to your monthly rate. You also have the choice to get the subsidy at the end of the year after filing your taxes.
Your discounted rate will appear on the Rhode Island health exchange, HealthSource RI, when you're shopping for plans.
To qualify for subsidies, you have to earn between roughly $21,000 and $60,000 per year as an individual (about $35,000 to $125,000 per year for a family of four). You can only get discounts if you buy a Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum plan through the Rhode Island health insurance marketplace. If you earn less than about $21,000 as a single person (roughly $35,000 for a family of four), you may be eligible for free government health insurance, called Medicaid.
Cheap health insurance in Rhode Island by city
Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island has the most affordable health insurance in Providence and its surrounding suburbs.
The company has the cheapest rates elsewhere in the state, including other large cities like Woonsocket and Newport.
Cheapest health insurance by RI county
County | Cheapest plan | Monthly rates |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol | Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island COMMUNITY | $404 |
| Kent | Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island COMMUNITY | $404 |
| Newport | Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island COMMUNITY | $404 |
| Providence | Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island COMMUNITY | $404 |
| Washington | Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island COMMUNITY | $404 |
Cheapest Silver plan with rates for a 40-year-old
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Best health insurance by plan tier
The best plan tier for you — Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum — depends on your medical needs, savings and income.
If you expect to need a lot of healthcare in the coming year, it's a good idea to choose a higher plan tier. That's because these plans pay for more of the costs you're responsible for when you get care.
Lower plan tiers have cheaper rates, but you'll need to pay more when you go to the doctor. That means you should only get one of these plans if you're in good health and you can afford to cover a large, unexpected medical bill from your savings.Silver plans balance average rates with affordable costs you pay when you go to the hospital. These plans are a particularly good option if you earn less than $78,000 per year, because you may qualify for extra discounts, called cost-sharing reductions (CSRs).
Platinum plans: Best if you have a serious health condition
| Platinum plans pay for about 90% of your medical care. |
Coverage with a Platinum plan starts faster than with other plan tiers because Platinum plans typically have low deductibles. That makes Platinum plans a good choice if you have serious or ongoing health problems. Plus, these plans have a low annual cap on how much you'll pay for medical care, called an out of pocket maximum.
Keep in mind that these plans have expensive monthly rates, which makes them a poor choice if you don't visit the hospital often.
Platinum plans cost $737 per month, on average, in Rhode Island.
Gold plans: Best if you have frequent medical issues
| Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care. |
Gold plans have expensive monthly rates, but you'll pay very little when you go to the hospital. That makes Gold plans a good choice for people who have ongoing health issues.
Gold plans cost an average of $530 per month in Rhode Island.
Silver plans: Best for average medical needs
| Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care. |
Silver health plans have average rates and middle-of-the-road costs that you pay when you go to the doctor. Consider a Silver plan if you typically only go to the hospital a few times per year.
Silver health plans cost $477 per month, on average, in Rhode Island.
Bronze plans: Best if you're healthy and have savings
| Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. |
Bronze plans have cheap monthly rates, but you'll pay very high costs before coverage starts for non-preventive services. Consider a Bronze plan if you're young, healthy and you can easily cover an expensive medical bill from your savings.
Bronze plans cost an average of $344 per month in Rhode Island.
More discounts and free health insurance in RI
You may qualify for discounted or free health insurance if you live in Rhode Island and earn a low income.
Medicaid: Free coverage for those who qualify
If you live in Rhode Island and make roughly $21,000 per year or less (roughly $44,000 per year or less for a family of four), you can get free health insurance, called Medicaid. Pregnant women, families with small children and people with certain disabilities may qualify for Medicaid at a higher income.
Silver plans with cost-sharing reductions (CSRs): Best for discounted coverage
| Silver plans will pay 73% to 94% of your medical costs if you have a low income. |
If you earn less than about $38,000 per year and you have a Silver health plan, you may qualify for extra discounts, called cost-sharing reductions (CSRs).
Cost-sharing reductions help you pay for your portion of the medical bill. That means CSRs could save you thousands of dollars per year if you need a lot of medical care.
Are health insurance rates going up in RI?
Health insurance rates got 9% more expensive between 2024 and 2025, on average.
Bronze plans had the largest annual increase, at 13%, on average. Both Gold and Platinum plan rates went up 9%, on average. Silver plans rose 5%, on average.
Tier | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | $304 | $344 | 13% |
| Silver | $455 | $477 | 5% |
| Gold | $486 | $530 | 9% |
| Platinum | $673 | $737 | 9% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
All plans bought through the Rhode Island health insurance marketplace, HealthSource RI, have to offer a minimum level of coverage, called minimum essential coverage. This covers 10 important services, including preventive care, laboratory services, care for pregnant mothers and newborns, prescription drug coverage and more.
Marketplace plans offer several other important protections. For example, all Obamacare plans cap the amount you'll spend each year on medical care, called an out-of-pocket maximum. Plus, companies can't look at your health history when setting rates or selling plans if you get coverage through the state health exchange.
Short-term health insurance in Rhode Island
No companies currently sell short-term health insurance in Rhode Island.
Although it's legal to sell short-term coverage in RI, strict state-level rules have made this type of insurance unprofitable. If you need to buy health insurance outside of open enrollment (Nov. 1 through Jan. 31), it's a good idea to see if you're eligible for a special enrollment period.
Events like losing your job or existing coverage, getting married or divorced, moving to a new area or having a child can let you get a new plan outside open enrollment.
You also have the option to keep your workplace coverage through if you've recently lost your job. Keep in mind that COBRA tends to cost significantly more than marketplace coverage with discounts. COBRA is usually only a good idea if you've already hit your plan's annual deductible or you want to keep your existing doctors.
Frequently asked questions
Who has the best health insurance in Rhode Island?
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) has the best health insurance in Rhode Island because of its high-quality plans and large network of doctors. BCBS scored a perfect 5-out-of-5 stars from HealthCare.gov, which makes it the highest-rated company in the state.
What's the most affordable health insurance in Rhode Island?
Neighborhood Health Plan has the most affordable health insurance in Rhode Island, at $404 per month, on average. The company offers the cheapest rates everywhere in the state, including large cities like Providence, Woonsocket and Newport.
What is the average cost of health insurance in Rhode Island?
Health insurance in Rhode Island costs $477 per month, on average. However, most people pay far less because of discounts
Methodology
Rhode Island 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. Other sources include S&P Global Capital IQ, NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners) and HealthSource RI.
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.