Best Cheap Health Insurance in Arkansas (2024)
Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) sells the best health insurance in AR. Silver plans from AR BCBS starts at $464 per month before discounts.
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Best and cheapest health insurance in Arkansas
Cheapest health insurance companies in Arkansas
Ambetter has the cheapest health insurance in Arkansas. Its Silver plans start at $424 per month.
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Affordable health insurance in Arkansas
Company |
Cost
| |
|---|---|---|
| Ambetter | $424 - $477 |
| Health Advantage | $443 - $482 |
| AR Blue Cross and Blue Shield | $464 - $545 |
- Ambetter has the cheapest health insurance plan throughout Arkansas, including in Little Rock, Fayetteville and Fort Smith.
- Ambetter sells good quality plans, but Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield is a better choice for most people because it lets you see more doctors.
Best health insurance companies in Arkansas
AR Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the best health insurance company for most people in The Natural State.
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield makes it easier to find a doctor, since it has one of the largest networks available. AR BCBS also has excellent customer service, with only about a third of the amount of complaints expected for a company its size.
Best-rated health insurance companies in Arkansas
Company |
Editor rating
|
ACA rating
|
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield | 3.0 | |
| Ambetter | 3.0* | |
| Health Advantage | 2.0 |
*Ambetter plans with 'QualChoiceLife' in the plan name have a 2.0 rating from HealthCare.gov.
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Ambetter can also be a good option for health insurance in Arkansas. It has the cheapest plans available and good customer service. But some Ambetter customers have had problems with the company's doctor network.
In fact, Ambetter is currently in a lawsuit claiming that its doctor network is so small that it breaks Affordable Care Act (ACA) guidelines. Ambetter is still a good company, but you should call your doctors to make sure they take a plan before buying it.
Worst health insurance in Arkansas: Health Advantage
Health Advantage is the lowest-rated health insurance company in Arkansas. HealthCare.gov only gives Health Advantage 2 out of 5 stars. And the company gets 30% more complaints than average about its health insurance plans.
Your options for plans are limited with Health Advantage. The company only sells Silver and Gold plans. If you want a Bronze plan, you'll have to go to another company.
And Health Partners doesn't sell PPO plans. The only option is a Point of Service (POS) plan. These plans let you see out-of-network doctors, although you'll pay more than if your doctor was in-network. But unlike PPOs, they require you to get a referral to see a specialist. This can slow down your medical care and make it harder to get treatment.
How much does health insurance cost in Arkansas?
Health insurance in Arkansas costs an average of $461 per month, but you could pay an average of $82 per month if you get discounts based on your income.
- Where you live in Arkansas, whether you smoke or use tobacco, the plan tier you buy and how many people you insure all affect how much you pay for health insurance.
- Your age has one of the biggest impacts on your health insurance rates. You'll pay more than twice for the same plan when you're 60 compared to when you're 40.
Get affordable health insurance in Arkansas with subsidies
Health insurance costs an average of $82 per month in Arkansas, if you qualify for discounts based on your income.
Almost everyone in Arkansas who buys health insurance from HealthCare.gov gets at least one type of health insurance discount. One type of discount, called a rate subsidy, makes your health insurance cheaper every month. About a third of people in Arkansas who qualify for rate subsidies pay $10 or less per month for a plan.
Rate subsidies are based on your income. If you're single, you have to make between $15,060 and $60,240 per year to qualify. A family of four has to make between $31,200 and $124,800 per year. You'll get a higher discount if you make less.
You can apply a subsidy to any Bronze, Silver or Gold plan in Arkansas, and you can use it to buy a plan from any company.
If you have a low income, you might also get another type of discount that makes medical care cheaper. It's called a cost-sharing reduction, and you can only get it if you buy a Silver plan.
Cheap Arkansas health insurance plans by city
The Ambetter Standard Silver plan is the cheapest option in Little Rock, Fayetteville and Fort Smith.
In fact, Ambetter's Standard Silver plan is the cheapest health insurance plan throughout Arkansas. It's still a good idea to compare all the options where you live, though. While the Standard Silver plan from Ambetter is the cheapest on average, it may not be the cheapest for you.
Cheapest health insurance by AR county
County | Cheapest plan | Monthly rates |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | Ambetter Standard Silver | $424 |
| Ashley | Ambetter Standard Silver | $424 |
| Baxter | Ambetter Standard Silver | $424 |
| Benton | Ambetter Standard Silver | $424 |
| Boone | Ambetter Standard Silver | $424 |
Cheapest Silver plan with rates for a 40-year-old
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Best health insurance by level of coverage
The best health insurance for you depends on your medical needs and budget.
Higher tier health plans, like Gold, have more expensive monthly rates but let you pay less when you go to the doctor. Bronze plans are the opposite. They cost less each month, but you'll pay more when you need medical care.
Gold plans: Best if you have frequent or complex medical needs
| Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care. |
Gold plans have the highest level of coverage in Arkansas, which means they usually cost the most per month. If you go to the doctor often, have a chronic or severe health issue or have high medical costs in general, it's usually worth it to pay more for a Gold plan.
On average, you'll pay the first $1,082 per year for your medical bills with a Gold plan, called your deductible. After that, your health insurance will start to split the bill with you. The most you'll pay for your medical care with a Gold plan ranges from $5,500 to $8,700 per year. Gold plans have the lowest out-of-pocket maximum limits in Arkansas, which makes them a good choice for keeping your medical costs in check.
Gold plans cost $557 per month, on average, in Arkansas.
Silver plans: Best for most people
| Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care. |
For most people, a Silver plan is the best option. These plans balance good coverage and good rates. A Silver plan in Arkansas costs 17% less each month than a Gold plan, but you'll still have good coverage.
But you'll have to pay the first $5,359 of your own medical bills each year, on average, before your health insurance kicks in. The maximum out-of-pocket limit ranges from $6,200 to $9,450 per year for Silver plans in Arkansas.
If you buy a Silver plan, it's a good idea to have emergency savings since your share of your bills can be high. If you have a low income, you might qualify for a discount that lowers these costs.
On average, you'll pay $461 per month for a Silver plan in Arkansas.
Bronze plans: Best if you're young, healthy and have savings
| Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. |
If you're young and healthy, a Bronze plan can be a good choice. These plans have the lowest monthly rates but require you to pay more when you go to the doctor. Bronze plans have an average health insurance deductible of $5,839, which means you have to pay nearly $6,000 of your medical bills yourself before your plan starts to pay.
If you buy a Bronze plan, it's important to have emergency savings in case you have a severe illness or injury. Between your deductible, copay and coinsurance, you might have to pay between $7,250 and $9,400 of your medical bills out of your own pocket.
Bronze plans cost an average of $414 per month in Arkansas.
Cheap or free health insurance in Arkansas if you have a low income
If you have a low income and can't afford to buy a plan, you might qualify for free health insurance with Medicaid. And if you have a Silver plan but still struggle to pay for health care, you might get discounts that lower your medical bills.
Medicaid in Arkansas
Medicaid is a type of free health insurance for people with low incomes.
To qualify, you have to make less than around $20,000 as an individual or $40,000 as a family of three. If you're pregnant, or 18 or younger, you can make more and still qualify. If you are eligible for Medicaid, most of your health insurance costs will be reduced or eliminated.
Use cost-sharing reductions for cheaper medical care
If you buy a Silver plan and have a low income, you might get discounts that can lower what you pay for health care. These are called cost-sharing reductions. Almost 75% of people in Arkansas who shop on HealthCare.gov qualify for cost-sharing reductions.
To qualify, you have to make between $15,060 and $37,650 per year as a single person or between $31,200 and $78,000 per year as a family of four. The lower your income, the bigger your discount, so the less you'll pay for medical care.
Are health insurance rates going up in AR?
Health insurance rates in Arkansas have stayed steady over the last several years, even though medical costs are higher. Silver plans only went up in price by about 1% between 2023 and 2024 and Gold plans got cheaper by 2% during that time.
Tier | 2023 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | $402 | $414 | 3% |
| Silver | $456 | $461 | 1% |
| Gold | $570 | $557 | -2% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
In Arkansas, you can buy Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, sometimes called "Obamacare" plans, on HealthCare.gov between Nov. 1 and Jan. 15 each year. You might qualify to buy a plan outside this time period if you've moved, gotten married, had a baby or experienced another life change.
No matter what level of plan you buy — Bronze, Silver or Gold — you'll have coverage for at least 10 health care situations.
- Doctor visits
- Preventive and wellness care
- Emergency care
- Hospital stays
- Prescription medications
- Lab services
- Pregnancy, maternity and newborn care
- Pediatric care
- Mental health and substance use care
- Rehab services
No matter what plan tier you buy, your plan will pay for at least some of the cost for these medical needs. Bronze plans pay the lowest amount, while Gold plans pay the highest. So if you need a prescription medication, you'll pay less for it if you have a Gold plan compared to a Bronze plan.
Average cost of health insurance by family size in Arkansas
In Arkansas, the average cost of a Silver health insurance policy for a family of four is $1,475 per month. Each child you add to your plan costs an average of $276 per month.
The ages of the people on your plan also affect how much you pay each month. For children under age 15, the monthly health insurance premium remains flat. However, once a child turns 15 years old, their monthly rate will increase each year.
Family size | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Individual | $461 |
| Individual + Child | $738 |
| Couple, age 40 | $923 |
| Family of three | $1,199 |
| Family of four | $1,475 |
Averages based on a Silver plan for 40-year-old adults and children who are under age 15.
COBRA insurance in Arkansas
COBRA costs $639 per month for a single person in Arkansas.
Since a Silver plan from HealthCare.gov costs $461 per month, on average, it's usually cheaper to buy marketplace insurance than to get COBRA insurance. But if you need a specific coverage that your employer plan has, COBRA is probably worth it.
COBRA is a program that lets you keep the health insurance you had with your job if you quit, are fired or retire. In most cases, you can keep the coverage for up to a year and a half after you leave.
But because you're no longer an employee, your job doesn't chip in to cover some of the cost for your health insurance. When you use COBRA to continue your plan, you have to pay the full price. COBRA tends to be more expensive than a plan you can buy on HealthCare.gov.
Short-term health insurance in Arkansas
Short-term health insurance is an option if you need temporary coverage, but the plans aren't as good as HealthCare.gov plans.
Short-term plans can only last up to three months, and you can only renew them for one additional month. It's usually a better idea to buy a plan from HealthCare.gov if you need temporary health insurance. The plans give you better coverage than short-term plans, and you can cancel them at any time.
Pros of short-term health insurance in Arkansas
Cons of short-term health insurance in Arkansas
Frequently asked questions
What is the best health insurance in Arkansas?
Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield sells the best health insurance in the state. Blue Cross Blue Shield typically has good customer satisfaction and good plan quality.
What is the cheapest health insurance in Arkansas?
The cheapest Silver plan in Arkansas is the Ambetter Standard Silver, which costs as little as $424 per month. Silver plans give you more coverage than Bronze plans, but they also cost more each month. Bronze plans can be a good option if you are on a budget, but make sure you have good emergency savings in case you need expensive medical treatment.
How much does Obamacare cost in Arkansas?
Obamacare costs an average of $461 per month in Arkansas. Rates vary based on your age, family size, tobacco use, location and the level of coverage you buy. You can buy Obamacare plans, also called Affordable Care Act plans, on HealthCare.gov.
Methodology
Arkansas health insurance plans, premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums for 2024 were found on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) government website. Using the public data, ValuePenguin compiled information for a variety of metrics such as age, plan tier, family size and county. Plans and providers for which county-level data was included in the CMS Crosswalk file were used in our analysis; those excluded from this data set may not appear. Rates are for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan unless otherwise noted.
ValuePenguin also used CMS data to gather rates for plans with subsidies. The rates are for everyone who bought health insurance during 2024 open enrollment and got advanced premium tax credits (APTCs) on their monthly bills.
Editor ratings are based on a review of each company's rates, coverage offerings, customer service and unique features.
Data for Arkansas COBRA coverage came from KFF. Other sources include the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and S&P Global Capital IQ.
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.