Costing as little as $401 per month, Regence's IAFN Silver 6500 plan is the best cheap health insurance in Idaho.

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The cheapest Silver plan in Boise, which is home to over a quarter of Idaho's population, is the Moda Select Silver 6400, which also has a vision exam benefit. Unlike many other states, Idaho has seen health insurance rates decrease over the last two years, which makes finding cheap health insurance easier.

A Silver plan in Idaho costs an average of $473 per month for a 40-year-old.

Blue Cross is the best health insurance company in Idaho. The company gets 4 out of 5 stars from ValuePenguin's editors due to its high plan quality and customer satisfaction. Blue Cross health insurance is also widely accepted, which makes it easy to find covered health care.

How much does health insurance cost in Idaho?

The average cost of health insurance in Idaho is $473 per month for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan. Your rate will vary based on your age, what plan tier you buy, the number of people you insure, the company you choose, whether or not you use tobacco and where you live in Idaho.

Average cost of health insurance in Idaho by plan tier and age

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Your age impacts your rates. Across all plan tiers, 60-year-olds pay more than twice as much for health insurance as 40-year-olds.


Cheapest health insurance in Idaho

The best cheap health insurance in Idaho is the IAFN Silver 6500 plan from Regence. Silver plans are good for most people since they balance good coverage with low rates.

Bronze plans are the cheapest plans in Idaho, but they also require you to pay more when you go to the doctor. Platinum plans are the opposite. They cost the most each month, but you pay less toward your medical bills.

Tier
Cheapest plan
Monthly cost
Bronze Moda Select Bronze 8900 $278
Silver Regence IAFN Silver 6500 $401
Gold Molina Gold 1 $411
Platinum Mountain Health Co-Op Link Platinum $582

Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.

Blue Cross of Idaho is the most popular health insurance company in Idaho, despite being more expensive than other companies. Blue Cross plans make up over half of all active health insurance plans in Idaho.


Finding your best health insurance coverage in Idaho

The best health insurance for you depends on how much medical care you need, your monthly budget and the plans available where you live.

To choose a health insurance plan, start by thinking about how much medical care you usually need. If you go to the doctor often, a Gold or Platinum plan might be the best choice. But if you're healthy and don't need much health care, a Silver or Bronze plan could be better.

Gold and Platinum plans: Best if you have high medical costs

Gold and Platinum health insurance plans have the highest monthly rates in Idaho. However, these plans can be cost-effective if you have a lot of medical costs since you pay less when you get care. That's because these plan tiers have the lowest deductibles, coinsurance and copays. Overall, the most you could spend on medical care, called the out-of-pocket maximum, is lower with Gold and Platinum plans.

Silver plans: Best if you have typical medical costs

Silver plans are a good option in most situations. These health insurance plans have moderate monthly rates and good coverage for people with average medical needs.

Silver is the only plan level that lets you get discounts that lower what you have to pay for medical care. These are called cost-sharing reductions, and they lower your deductible, coinsurance and copay levels so you pay less when you get medical treatment. Eligibility is based on income. The lower your income level, the higher the level of subsidy you could qualify for.

Bronze plans: Best if you have low medical costs

Bronze plans are the cheapest option for health insurance in Idaho. You'll have a low monthly rate with a Bronze plan, compared to higher plan tiers, but you'll also pay more for your deductible, coinsurance and copays. Because you'll pay a higher share of your medical bills, you should take a close look at your finances before buying a Bronze plan. Make sure you can afford to pay the higher costs if something serious happens.

Like other plan levels, Bronze covers preventive care for free. Some Bronze plans also cover things like generic prescriptions or urgent care visits for free or a reduced fee before you meet the deductible. When you shop for a Bronze plan, look at the benefits of the plan before the deductible is met. This could help you get the best coverage.

Medicaid: Best if you have a low income

Medicaid is a good option if you make less than about $20,000 as a single person or $34,000 as a family of three. Although Medicaid is usually for people with low incomes, you might also qualify if you have a disability, are blind or are a woman with breast or cervical cancer.


Are health insurance rates going up in Idaho?

Health insurance rates in Idaho have actually gone down for 2024, when compared to 2023. While Bronze and Silver plans both decreased by 2%, Gold plans got 3% cheaper.

Tier
2022
2023
2024
Change (2023 to 2024)
Bronze$368$353$347-2%
Silver$516$483$473-2%
Gold$548$515$499-3%

Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.


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Platinum plans are new in Idaho for 2024, so there isn't information yet about how rates have changed in the state.

Idaho's health insurance rates have decreased since 2023 partly due to the state's "Reinsurance Waiver." Instead of health insurance companies paying claims for people with expensive health needs, a separate program pays the claims. This helps companies keep rates lower. And nothing changes for shoppers; they still have health insurance through the company of their choosing. Everything happens behind the scenes, and your coverage works like normal.


Best cheap health insurance companies in Idaho

Blue Cross of Idaho is the best health insurance company in the state, based on its high customer satisfaction and coverage quality. Blue Cross is accepted by most doctors and hospitals, too, which makes it easier to find covered medical care.

But Blue Cross doesn't have the cheapest average rates in Idaho. If budget is your main concern, try getting quotes from Regence or Molina.

Cheapest health insurance companies in Idaho

Company
Cost
Regence logo
Regence$431
Molina logo
Molina$450
St Luke's Health Plan logo
St. Luke's$451
Moda logo
Moda$464
Select Health logo
SelectHealth$473
Show All Rows

Average monthly costs are for a 40-year-old buying a Silver plan in ID.


Cheapest health insurance plan by Idaho county

Although Regence has the cheapest Silver plan in Idaho, it's not always the cheapest depending on where you live. In Boise, Meridian and Nampa, Idaho's three largest cities, the cheapest plan is the Select Silver 6400 by Moda.

County
Cheapest Silver plan
Monthly rate
AdaModa Select Silver 6400$403
AdamsModa Select Silver 6400$403
BannockRegence IAFN Silver 6500$411
Bear LakeRegence IAFN Silver 6500$411
BenewahRegence IAFN Silver 6500$401
Show All Rows

Cheapest Silver plan with rates for a 40-year-old


Short-term health insurance in Idaho

If you only need coverage for a short period of time, you can buy short-term health insurance in Idaho. Plans aren't available on the state's health insurance marketplace, though. You have to buy coverage directly from a short-term health insurance company.

Idaho sells two types of short-term health insurance: nonenhanced plans and enhanced plans.

  • Nonenhanced plans: These plans only last up to six months, and you can't continue the coverage once the plan ends.
  • Enhanced plans: These plans can last up to a year and can be renewed up to three years. Insurance companies also can't refuse to sell you an enhanced plan.

While enhanced plans give you more coverage than nonenhanced plans, short-term health insurance doesn't offer the same amount of coverage as health insurance from Idaho's health insurance marketplace. Before you buy a short-term plan, make sure you understand what it does and doesn't cover.


Frequently asked questions

Does Idaho have the Affordable Care Act insurance?

Yes. You can buy Affordable Care Act plans, also called Obamacare plans, from Idaho's state marketplace, Your Health Idaho.

When can I buy health insurance in Idaho?

Open enrollment in Idaho starts on Oct. 15 and ends Dec. 15. That's earlier than in most states, which let you buy health insurance between Nov. 1 and Jan 15. If you've recently moved, gotten married, had a child or otherwise qualified for a special enrollment period, you can buy health insurance outside of the open enrollment time frame.

How much does Obamacare cost in Idaho?

Health insurance costs an average of $473 per month in Idaho, for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan. You'll pay a different rate based on your age, where you live, the coverage level you buy, the company you choose, whether or not you smoke or use tobacco, and how many people you insure on your health plan.


Methodology

ValuePenguin sourced 2024 health insurance rates and plan details from Idaho's state exchange, Your Health Idaho. Using the data, we determined the average cost of health insurance by county, plan tier and age. We also used the data to find the cheapest plans in the state, based on plan tier.

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.