Best Cheap Health Insurance in Mississippi for 2024
Ambetter from Magnolia Health has the best health insurance in MS. Its Silver plans start at $482 per month before discounts.
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Best and cheapest health insurance in Mississippi
Cheapest health insurance companies in Mississippi
Cigna sells the cheapest health insurance in MS, with Silver plans that cost as little as $462 per month.
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Affordable health insurance in Mississippi
Company |
Cost
| |
|---|---|---|
| Cigna | $462 - $537 |
| Ambetter from Magnolia Health | $482 - $558 |
| Molina | $493 - $563 |
| Vantage Health Plan of Mississippi | $503 - $513 |
- Cigna has the cheapest health insurance in many of Mississippi's large cities, including Gulfport, Southaven and Hattiesburg.
- But Molina sells the cheapest health insurance in Jackson, Mississippi's largest city and the state capitol.
- Bronze plans are cheaper than Silver plans, but they pay a smaller share of your medical bills. Silver plans are the best option for most people, even though they cost a bit more each month.
Best health insurance companies in Mississippi
Ambetter from Magnolia Health sells the best health insurance plans in Mississippi.
The company has a perfect 5-star rating for customer experience from HealthCare.gov, although its overall score is lower. Ambetter from Magnolia Health gets 11% fewer complaints about its health insurance plans compared to an average company its size, which means most people probably have a good experience with the company.
Plus, Ambetter from Magnolia Health has a helpful health center for members, with info about health screenings, maternity and postpartum care, mental health support and more. The company also offers a Caregiving Collaborations program to help support caregivers. The program can provide emotional support, help coordinating health care for someone else and help with chores.
But you should call your doctors to make sure they take Ambetter before you buy a plan. Some customers say the company has a doctor network that is too small. If your doctors take Ambetter, it's a great choice, but it's a good idea to confirm before you buy.
Best-rated health insurance companies in Mississippi
Company |
Editor rating
|
ACA rating
|
|---|---|---|
| Ambetter from Magnolia Health | 3.0 | |
| Molina | 3.0 | |
| UnitedHealthcare | NA | |
| Vantage Health Plan of Mississippi | NA | |
| Cigna | NA |
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Molina is also a good health insurance company in Mississippi. But Molina gets about a third more complaints about its health insurance than expected for a company its size. Before you buy a plan from Molina, it might be helpful to talk to current members about their experiences.
How much does health insurance cost in Mississippi?
Health insurance in Mississippi costs an average of $511 per month at full price or $25 per month if you get discounts based on your income.
- Your age has a big impact on the cost of health insurance. A 40-year-old choosing a Silver plan pays an average of 28% more per month than a 21-year-old. That's $111 more per month.
- Monthly premiums go up fast after age 40. A 60-year-old pays more than twice as much as a 40-year-old — an extra $574 per month for a Silver plan, on average.
Get affordable health insurance in Mississippi
Mississippi health insurance costs $25 per month, on average, if you qualify for discounts based on your income.
- What it is: One type of discount, called a subsidy, lowers your monthly rate so you pay less for health insurance. Eligibility is based on your income. You'll get a lower rate if you make less.
- How to qualify: If you make between $15,060 and $60,240 per year as a single person, you'll get the discount that makes your health insurance cheaper each month.
- How to use it: You can use a rate subsidy to lower the cost of any metal-tier plan. In Mississippi, that's Bronze, Silver and Gold plans. You can use a subsidy for a plan from any company.
- What you'll pay: Two-thirds of people in Mississippi who qualify for rate subsidies pay $10 or less per month for a plan. You can use a subsidy calculator to estimate your monthly cost after discounts.
Almost everyone in Mississippi who shops for health insurance on HealthCare.gov qualifies for rate subsidies or another type of discount that lowers what you pay when you visit a doctor.
Cheap Mississippi health insurance plans by city
Molina sells the cheapest health insurance in Jackson, Mississippi.
But Cigna sells the cheapest plan in Gulfport and Southaven. In Mississippi, Ambetter has the cheapest Silver plans in about three-quarters of the counties. That includes many rural parts of the state, making up a total of about half the state's population.
The cheapest Silver plan in the state, Cigna Connect Silver CMS Standard with a rate of $462 per month, is available in four counties in northwestern Mississippi: De Soto, Marshall, Tate and Tunica.
Cheapest health insurance by MS county
County | Cheapest Silver plan | Monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Adams | Ambetter Standard Silver | $482 |
| Alcorn | Ambetter Standard Silver | $482 |
| Amite | Ambetter Standard Silver | $482 |
| Attala | Ambetter Standard Silver | $482 |
| Benton | Ambetter Standard Silver | $484 |
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 how much medical care you expect to need in the upcoming year.
Generally, if you're young and healthy, choosing a Bronze plan can help you save money overall, even if it means paying for more of your medical care when you need it. If you expect to need surgery or are managing a chronic health condition, it's usually worth it to pay more for a Gold plan that gives you better coverage.
When shopping for low-cost health insurance, Silver plans are a good choice for most people because they balance how much you pay for a plan versus the coverage you have for medical care.
Gold plans: Best if you have high medical costs
| Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care. |
In Mississippi, Gold plans are the highest level of coverage. They have the highest monthly rates, but they also pay for more of your medical bills. Gold plans can help make healthcare more affordable if you need ongoing treatment or expensive prescriptions or if you're having a baby.
If you have a Gold plan in Mississippi, you'll have to pay an average of $1,385 toward your medical bills each year before your plan starts to chip in. Overall, Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care.
Gold plans cost an average of $638 per month in Mississippi.
Silver plans: Best for most people
| Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care. |
Silver plans are a middle-of-the-road option, making them a good choice for most people. Monthly rates are affordable, and the coverage for health expenses is better than what you'll get with a Bronze plan. Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care.
But you'll pay $5,284 per year, on average, with a Silver plan before your plan starts to pay. Because the deductible is high, it's important to have emergency savings in case you have to pay it all at once.
You'll pay an average of $511 per month for a Silver plan in Mississippi.
Bronze plans: Best for young, healthy people
| Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. |
Bronze plans have the cheapest health rates in Mississippi, on average. But you'll also have to pay the most for your medical care because of the high deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. On average, you have to pay for $7,161 of your medical care yourself before your plan starts paying.
Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. But they still give you free checkups and preventive care, so they're a good deal if you don't expect to go to the doctor often. They're also a good choice if you have the emergency savings to cover a large, unexpected medical bill.
Bronze plans cost $473 per month, on average, in Mississippi.
Cheap or free health insurance in Mississippi if you have a low income
If you can't afford to pay for health insurance, Medicaid can be a good option. And if you struggle to pay for medical care even with health insurance, consider buying a Silver plan. You might get an extra discount that could help.
Medicaid in Mississippi
Medicaid is a program that gives you free health insurance if you have a low income.
But Mississippi hasn't expanded its Medicaid program, which makes it harder to qualify than it is in other states. You have to have a low income and meet another requirement, such as being a parent or having a disability.
Use cost-sharing reductions for cheaper medical care
| Silver plans will pay 73% to 90% of your medical costs if you have a low income. |
If you make between $15,060 and $37,650 per year as a single person or between $31,200 and $78,000 as a family of four, a Silver plan is probably your best choice. Not only do you likely qualify for rate subsidies that lower your monthly health insurance cost, you will also probably qualify for another discount, called cost-sharing reductions, that lower how much you pay for medical care.
Cost-sharing reductions are only available on Silver plans, but they can make your coverage even better than a Gold plan. And nearly everyone who shops on HealthCare.gov in Mississippi qualifies for cost-sharing reductions, which could explain why Silver plans are the most popular option in the state. A Silver plan with cost-sharing reductions pays for between 73% and 94% of your medical bills, on average.
Are health insurance rates going up in Mississippi?
Health insurance rates in Mississippi went up by an average of 4% in 2024.
That means health insurance costs about $20 more per month across all levels in 2024 than it did in 2023. Silver plans only increased by about 2%, the lowest level of any plan.
Tier | 2023 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | $452 | $473 | 5% |
| Silver | $499 | $511 | 2% |
| Gold | $613 | $638 | 4% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
If you want to buy Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage, also called "Obamacare" coverage, in Mississippi, you'll shop on HealthCare.gov. You can buy plans between Nov. 1 and Jan. 15 each year. You might qualify to buy a plan at another time if you have recently gotten married, moved, lost your job or experienced another life change.
If you buy a plan from the marketplace on HealthCare.gov, you'll have coverage for at least 10 common medical 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
The plan level you buy determines how much coverage you have. Lower-tier plans pay for less of your medical bills, while higher-tier plans pay for more. So if you need to go to the emergency room, your plan will pay part of your bill whether it's a Bronze, Silver or Gold plan. But a Gold plan will pay for a bigger share of the bill than a Bronze plan will.
Average cost of health insurance by family size in Mississippi
Health insurance in Mississippi costs an average of $1,529 per month for a family of four.
The larger your family is, the more you'll pay for health insurance. The cost to insure a child on a Silver plan in Mississippi averages $254 per month.
Family size | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Individual | $511 |
| Individual + Child | $764 |
| Couple, age 40 | $1,021 |
| Family of three | $1,275 |
| Family of four | $1,529 |
Averages based on a Silver plan for 40-year-old adults and children who are under age 15.
COBRA insurance in Mississippi
In Mississippi, COBRA costs $639 per month for a single person and $1,818 per month for a family.
It's almost always cheaper to buy a plan from HealthCare.gov, especially since most people qualify for discounts on their rate and medical care. On average, a Silver plan costs $511 per month for a single person and $1,529 per month for a family of four. That's cheaper than COBRA.
COBRA lets you keep the health insurance you had from your job for up to a year and a half after you leave. But once you leave, quit or retire from your job, your employer won't help pay for your health insurance. You have to pay the full price with COBRA, which is why it tends to be expensive.
If you rely on a specific coverage that your employer plan had, COBRA can be a good option. Otherwise, it's probably cheaper to get a plan from HealthCare.gov.
Short-term health insurance in Mississippi
Short-term health insurance plans in Mississippi can give you temporary coverage, which can be helpful if you're between jobs or missed open enrollment.
But short-term health insurance isn't always the best option. You'll usually get better coverage if you buy a plan from HealthCare.gov, and you can cancel it at any time without a penalty.
Pros of short-term health insurance in Mississippi
Cons of short-term health insurance in Mississippi
Frequently asked questions
How much is Obamacare in MS?
Obamacare health insurance plans in Mississippi cost an average of $511 per month in 2024, for a 40-year-old buying a Silver plan. However, health insurance subsidies reduce the cost of a plan based on your income. After subsidies, the cost of health insurance averages $25 per month.
Does Mississippi have free health insurance?
Depending on your income, you may be able to get free or low-cost health insurance plans in Mississippi by shopping on HealthCare.gov and applying for tax credits, which are also called subsidies. You can also get free health insurance if you're eligible for Mississippi's Medicaid program, sometimes called MississippiCAN. To qualify, you'll usually need to have a low income and be a parent, pregnant or disabled.
Is Ambetter good in Mississippi?
Ambetter from Magnolia Health has the best health insurance in Mississippi. It sells good quality coverage and has good customer service. But Ambetter's network of doctors can be limited. It's a good idea to make sure your doctor takes Ambetter before buying a plan.
Methodology
Health insurance rates, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums in this report were compiled from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) government website. Using the public use files (PUFs), ValuePenguin found average values by age, metal tier, county and family size. 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.
Rates for plans with subsidies come from CMS data for everyone who bought a policy during 2024 open enrollment and qualified for advanced premium tax credits (APTCs).
ValuePenguin editor ratings are based on a review of each company's rates, coverage, customer satisfaction and unique features.
Additional data sources include the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and KFF.
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.