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 Kaiser Permanente and Blue Cross Blue Shield are the best health insurance companies that offer Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans. Both companies top the ratings in our analysis of quality ratings, complaints, deductibles and plans offered.

Still, it can be smart to shop around and compare health insurance providers in your area to find the right plan for you. A smaller or regional insurer on the ACA marketplace may be a better fit.

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Coverage area

Offers plans in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Number of providers in network

About 1.7 million

NAIC complaint level

Very low

1

Blue Cross Blue Shield

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On Healthcare.com’s Website

Coverage area

California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Washington and Washington, D.C.

Number of providers in network

23,900+ physicians in 39 hospitals and 622 medical facilities.

NAIC complaint level

Very low

2

Kaiser Permanente

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On Healthcare.com’s Website

Show Summary

Summary: The Best Health Insurance Companies

OUR EXPERT TAKE	COMPANY	FORBES ADVISOR RATING	LEARN MORE
Best Provider Network	Blue Cross Blue Shield	5.0	Get Quotes On Healthcare.com's Website
Best Quality	Kaiser Permanente	5.0	Get Quotes On Healthcare.com's Website
Best for Low Out-of-Pocket Costs	UnitedHealthcare	4.6	Get Quotes On Healthcare.com's Website

How We Chose the Best Health Insurance Companies

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The Best Health Insurance Companies

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BEST PROVIDER NETWORK

Blue Cross Blue Shield

5.0

NCQA Quality Rating average

3.5 out of 5

Average silver plan cost for 40-year-old

$611 a month

Average deductible for a silver plan

$3,759 a year

Get Quotes

On Healthcare.com's Website

Editors’ Take

We’re impressed with Blue Cross Blue Shield’s lower-than-average silver plan deductibles and deductibles and better-than-average quality ratings. It offers three types of health plans and four metal tiers on the ACA marketplace.

• Over 1.7 million in-network providers, which is the largest provider network.
• Offers all four metal tiers (bronze, silver, gold and platinum).
• • Provides three types of health plans on the ACA marketplace (HMO, EPO and PPO).

  More: Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance Review

  Expert’s Take

  Drawbacks

  Marketplace Health Plan Availability

  BEST QUALITY

  Kaiser Permanente

  5.0

  

  NCQA Quality Rating average

  4.2 out of 5

  Average silver plan cost for a 40-year-old

  $476 a month

  Average deductible for a silver plan

  $3,733 a year

  

  Get Quotes

  On Healthcare.com's Website

  Editors’ Take

  We like Kaiser Permanente’s superior NCQA quality ratings and excellent average deductibles for silver plans. Also, it offers all four types of metal tiers on the ACA marketplace.

  • Its integrated health system may reduce claim problems and make healthcare more seamless.
  • Excellent health insurance costs compared to other insurers analyzed.
  • Highest quality marks by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, especially for prevention, among the health plans we reviewed.
  • Best average ACA plan ratings among the insurers we reviewed.

  More: Kaiser Permanente Health Insurance Review

  Expert’s Take

  Drawbacks

  Marketplace Health Plan Availability

  BEST FOR LOW OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS

  UnitedHealthcare

  4.6

  

  NCQA Quality Rating average

  3.5 out of 5

  Average silver plan cost for 40-year-old

  $551 a month

  Average deductible for a silver plan

  $3,619 a year

  

  Get Quotes

  On Healthcare.com's Website

  Editors’ Take

  We picked UnitedHealthcare because it has one of the lowest average silver plan deductibles compared to other insurers we analyzed, lower-than-average complaints to state insurance departments and better-than-average NCQA quality ratings.

  • Lower average silver plan deductible than competitors.
  • Good National Committee for Quality Assurance quality ratings (3.5 out of 5) with good numbers for prevention and treatment.
  • Offers other types of insurance, including dental, vision, accident and critical illness plans.

  More: UnitedHealthcare Health Insurance Review

  Expert’s Take

  Drawbacks

  Marketplace Health Plan Availability

  What Is Health Insurance?

  Health insurance pays for healthcare expenses for treatments, medicine and services as determined by the coverage features defined in your specific policy. You pay a health insurance premium for the coverage, whether or not you seek medical care.

  When you use services covered by your plan, the health insurer pays a portion of your healthcare costs. Depending on the plan type and services used, you may have to pay a share of the bill, as part of the plan’s health insurance deductible (a fixed amount before any coverage begins), copayment (a fixed amount per services) and/or coinsurance (a percentage of the service cost).Some health plans require that you stay within the provider network if you want the plan to pay for services, while others allow you to seek care out-of-network, usually at a higher cost-sharing percentage for your portion.

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  What Does Health Insurance Cover?

  Health insurance covers doctor visits, hospital visits, outpatient care, preventive care and prescription drugs.

  The Affordable Care Act, sometimes called Obamacare, requires health insurance companies in the ACA marketplace at HealthCare.gov to cover:

  1. Ambulatory patient services, also called outpatient services.
  2. Emergency services.
  3. Hospitalizations.
  4. Lab services.
  5. Mental health and substance use disorder services.
  6. Pediatric services, including vision and dental care.
  7. Pregnancy, maternity and newborn care.
  8. Prescription drugs.
  9. Preventive and wellness services, as well as chronic disease management.
  10. Rehab and habilitative services and devices.

  Congress has added other requirements for health insurers beyond the ACA mandate, including birth control coverage and breastfeeding benefits.

  Health insurers don’t have to offer dental or vision coverage for adults or medical management programs like weight management, but some insurance companies offer this expanded coverage.

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  What Does Health Insurance Not Cover?

  Health insurance doesn’t cover everything. Services that are often excluded include:

  • Alternative treatments, which may include acupuncture.
  • Care outside of the U.S.
  • Cosmetic surgery.
  • Dental care.
  • Experimental treatments and drugs.
  • Fertility care.
  • Hearing aids.
  • LASIK surgery.
  • Out-of-network care.
  • Some prescription drugs.
  • Sterilization reversal.
  • Vaccines that you need to travel.
  • Vision care, though it may cover annual eye exams.
  • Weight loss programs and surgery.

  The services that health insurance will not cover (or will only partially cover) depend on the health insurance company and plan type. For instance, a health maintenance organization (HMO) or exclusive provider organization (EPO) plan won’t pay for care outside your provider network, while a preferred provider organization (PPO) plan will cover out-of-network care.

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  How Much Does Health Insurance Cost?

  The average cost for a silver plan for a 30-year-old is $488 a month.

  • A 40-year-old pays an average of $549 a month.
  • A 50-year-old pays an average of $767 a month.
  • A 60-year-old pays an average of $1,164 a month.

  Health insurance costs vary based on multiple factors, including the metal tier and your age. Bronze and silver plans have cheaper premiums but higher out-of-pocket costs than gold plans.

  Bronze Plans: Average Monthly Health Insurance Costs

  Company	Age 30	Age 40	Age 50	Age 60
  Aetna	$335	$378	$528	$802
  Ambetter	$370	$416	$582	$884
  Blue Cross Blue Shield	$407	$458	$641	$972
  Cigna	$382	$428	$600	$907
  Kaiser Permanente	$311	$351	$490	$745
  Oscar	$348	$392	$548	$833
  UnitedHealthcare	$380	$427	$597	$908

  Average costs are for unsubsidized plans.

  Silver Plans: Average Monthly Health Insurance Costs

  Company	Age 30	Age 40	Age 50	Age 60
  Aetna	$424	$451	$667	$1,013
  Ambetter	$441	$497	$694	$1,055
  Blue Cross Blue Shield	$543	$611	$854	$1,296
  Cigna	$454	$510	$714	$1,078
  Kaiser Permanente	$423	$476	$665	$1,011
  Oscar	$451	$508	$709	$1,078
  UnitedHealthcare	$489	$551	$770	$1,170

  Average costs are for unsubsidized plans.

  Gold Plans: Average Monthly Health Insurance Costs

  Company	Age 30	Age 40	Age 50	Age 60
  Aetna	$413	$534	$747	$1,135
  Ambetter	$493	$555	$776	$1,179
  Blue Cross Blue Shield	$599	$674	$942	$1,429
  Cigna	$578	$648	$908	$1,372
  Kaiser Permanente	$435	$490	$685	$1,041
  Oscar	$482	$543	$759	$1,153
  UnitedHealthcare	$551	$620	$867	$1,317

  Average costs are for unsubsidized plans.

  We didn’t include platinum plan costs because those plans are fairly rare. The ACA marketplace doesn’t have enough platinum plans for us to calculate an accurate average.

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  Health Insurance Complaints by Company

  UnitedHealthcare was the only health insurance company in our analysis with a complaint level that’s below the industry average.

  

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  What Are the Types of Health Insurance Plans?

  Health insurance companies offer multiple types of benefit designs, which affect where you can get care, how much you’ll pay and whether you need a referral to see a specialist.

  The four most common types of health insurance plans are:

  • Preferred Provider Organization (PPO): Preferred provider organization (PPO) plans offer the most flexibility, but that typically comes with higher premiums than other plan types. A PPO allows you to get out-of-network care (but at a higher cost than in-network care). You also don’t need a primary care provider referral to see specialists.
  • Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): Health maintenance organization (HMO) plans are generally cheaper than PPOs, but those lower premiums have more restrictions than a PPO. You typically must name a primary care provider, who oversees your healthcare. Referrals are required to see specialists. An HMO only pays for in-network care.
    Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO): Exclusive provider organization (EPO) plans are similar to HMOs and generally cost about the same. They don’t reimburse for out-of-network care, so you should stay in your provider network. EPOs are different from an HMO in that you don’t need a referral to see a specialist.
  • Point of Service (POS): Point of service (POS) plans, which are the least common health plan type, combine elements of an HMO and PPO. A POS may cover out-of-network care, just like a PPO, but you generally need to name a primary care provider and they must write a referral for you to see specialists, which is similar to an HMO.

  EXPERT TIPS

  How to Choose the Best Health Insurance for You

  

  Mark Fendrick

  Advisory Board Member

  

  Les Masterson

  Insurance Editor

  

  Ashlee Valentine

  Insurance Editor

  

  Amy Danise

  Insurance Managing Editor

  

  Michelle Megna

  Insurance Lead Editor

  Look Beyond the Premium

  A low premium may be attractive, but other factors should be considered when choosing a health plan, such as ensuring your trusted clinicians are included in the plan’s network and calculating all of the costs. I’ve found that those who have predictable clinical needs may pay less out of pocket if they enroll in a plan with a higher premium but more generous coverage for needed care.

  

  Mark Fendrick

  Advisory Board Member

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  Ways to Get Health Insurance

  Here are common ways to get health insurance.

  	Through an employer. Employers often offer group health insurance as part of their employee benefits and it’s usually more affordable than buying health insurance elsewhere since employers typically pay more than half of premiums.
  	Through a spouse. You can likely get added to a spouse’s health plan. That will increase your spouse’s health costs but it’s a way to get coverage without having to look for an ACA plan or other coverage.
  	Through a parent. If you’re under age 26 you are eligible to get health insurance under a parent’s health plan.
  	On the ACA marketplace. The ACA health insurance marketplace at HealthCare.gov allows you to compare plans available in your area. ACA plans are the only health plans with subsidies and premium tax credits (if you qualify) that reduce costs.
  	With short-term health insurance. If you’re looking for low-cost coverage to fill a short coverage gap, short-term health insurance offers limited coverage at low costs in most states. Short-term plans don’t often cover prescriptions, mental health services or maternity care.
  	With catastrophic health insurance. Catastrophic health insurance may be an option if you’re under 30 or going through severe financial problems like homelessness. Catastrophic health plans, sold through the ACA marketplace, have the same level of coverage found in an ACA plan but with low premiums and a very high deductible.

  ASK THE EXPERT

  We Answer Your Questions

  

  Penny Gusner

  Insurance Senior Writer

  

  Les Masterson

  Insurance Editor

  

  Amy Danise

  Insurance Managing Editor

  

  Ashlee Valentine

  Insurance Editor

  What can I do if I get a health bill that I didn’t expect?

  – Pearl S., Mineral Wells, Texas

  You might get a surprise bill that’s larger than expected if you received out-of-network care. Even if you go to an in-network facility, I’ve heard stories of medical professionals assisting in care who wind up being considered out-of-network. Congress passed the No Surprises Act, which sets up a process to help people resolve surprise medical billing. You can appeal a bill and the provider and health plan will work to resolve the issue.

  

  Penny Gusner

  Insurance Senior Writer

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  Methodology

  We analyzed 84 data points about coverage and quality for seven large health insurance companies to determine the best health insurance companies. Our ratings are based on:

  • Complaints made to state insurance departments (30% of score): We used complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
  • Plan ratings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (30% of score): The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is an independent, nonprofit organization that accredits health plans and produces ratings based on specific metrics, including patient experience, prevention, treatment, overall rating of the health plan and rating of care. We collected ratings for each company’s rated plans and devised an average for the company.
  • Average silver plan deductible (20% of score): The deductible is how much you have to pay for healthcare in a year before the health plan begins picking up a portion of the costs. Companies with health plans that had low deductibles got more points. Source: HealthCare.gov.
  • Breadth of health plans (10% of score): Health insurance companies may offer up to four types of plan benefit designs (PPO, HMO, EPO and POS). We gave companies that offered more types of plans more points. Source: HealthCare.gov.
  • Metal tier offerings (10% of score): The ACA marketplace has four metal tier levels. We gave points to companies that offered more tier plan options. Source: HealthCare.gov.

  Best Health Insurance Companies Methodology

  Complaints made to state insurance departments

  30%

  Plan ratings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance

  30%

  Average silver plan deductible

  20%

  Breadth of health plans

  10%

  Metal tier offerings

  10%

  Source: Forbes Advisor

  

  Read more: How Forbes Advisor rates health insurance companies

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  Other Health Insurance Companies We Rated

  Here are other health insurance companies we analyzed as part of our research.

  Insurance Company	Forbes Advisor Rating
  Oscar
  Cigna
  Aetna
  Molina Healthcare

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  Best Health Insurance Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  When is open enrollment for health insurance?

  Why is health insurance so expensive?

  Is it illegal to not have health insurance?

  Which health insurance companies are accepted in all 50 states?

  What is the best health insurance?

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  Next Up In Health Insurance

  • Best Affordable Health Insurance
  • Best Short-Term Health Insurance
  • Best Dental Insurance
  • How Much Does Health Insurance Cost?
  • How To Get Health Insurance?
  • Compare Health Insurance Quotes
  Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
  
  Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.
  

  Les Masterson

  Deputy Editor, Insurance

  Les Masterson is a deputy editor and insurance analyst at Forbes Advisor. He has been a journalist, reporter, editor and content creator for more than 25 years. He has covered insurance for a decade, including auto, home, life and health. Before covering insurance, Les was a news editor and reporter for Patch and Community Newspaper Company and also covered health care, mortgages, credit cards and personal loans for multiple websites.

  

  Mark Fendrick

  Health Insurance Expert

  A. Mark Fendrick, M.D., is Director at the University of Michigan Center for Value-Based Insurance Design. He is a professor of internal medicine in the School of Medicine and a professor of health management and policy in the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan. He’s an expert in health insurance and developed value-based insurance design (VBID), a health insurance payment model that incentivizes quality.
  
  He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Pennsylvania where he was a fellow in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program.