Colorado
Cheapest ACA plans in Colorado for 2026
Cheapest Bronze plan in Colorado, before subsidies: SelectHealth Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible in Larimer County at $390/month for a 40-year-old non-tobacco user; SelectHealth Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible in Larimer County at $1,245/month for a family of four (two 40-year-olds and two kids under 14). Federal APTC plus the new Colorado Premium Assistance can cut net premiums by $50+ per person per month for households below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.
Cheapest plans by metal tier
Lowest 2026 monthly premium for a single 40-year-old non-tobacco user, on-exchange, before any subsidy. Per-age figures derived from the CMS QHP Landscape file using the HHS standardized age-rating curve (45 CFR 147.102).
| Tier | Cheapest age 40 monthly | Plans statewide |
|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | $359 | 128 |
| Expanded Bronze | $390 | 1,659 |
| Bronze | $462 | 111 |
| Gold | $480 | 923 |
| Silver | $500 | 1,720 |
The actual cheapest plan in major counties
Same data the search returns: carrier, plan name, monthly premium, individual deductible, individual MOOP. Computed for a single 40-year-old non-tobacco user, before any subsidy. Catastrophic plans excluded because adults 30+ typically need a hardship-exemption certificate to enroll.
El Paso County
$402/moSelectHealth · Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible
Denver County
$402/moSelectHealth · Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible
Arapahoe County
$402/moSelectHealth · Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible
Jefferson County
$402/moSelectHealth · Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible
Adams County
$402/moSelectHealth · Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible
Larimer County
$390/moSelectHealth · Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible
The actual cheapest plan for a family of four
Two 40-year-old adults and two kids in the 0-14 age band, before any subsidy. Carrier, plan name, premium, deductible, and MOOP exactly as the search would return them.
El Paso County
$1,281/moSelectHealth · Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible
Denver County
$1,281/moSelectHealth · Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible
Arapahoe County
$1,281/moSelectHealth · Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible
Jefferson County
$1,281/moSelectHealth · Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible
Adams County
$1,281/moSelectHealth · Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible
Larimer County
$1,245/moSelectHealth · Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible
Subsidies stack: federal APTC + Colorado Premium Assistance
Three price-reduction layers apply in Colorado for PY2026:
- Federal Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC). Households 100-400% FPL. Standard ACA contribution curve with a hard 400% FPL cliff. The ARPA / IRA enhanced subsidies expired 2025-12-31 and are not in effect for 2026.
- Colorado Premium Assistance (CPA), new for 2026. Households under 200% FPL who qualify for federal APTC get a flat $50 per month for the first household member plus $18 per month for each additional member, applied automatically at Connect for Health Colorado. Unlike APTC, CPA is not a tax credit and does not reconcile at tax time. Colorado projects roughly 57,000 enrollees.
- Colorado Reinsurance Program (1332 waiver). A claims-based attachment -point reinsurance program reimburses carriers for high-cost claims, pulling statewide premiums down before any subsidy. Extended through 2027. The Colorado Option standardized plan layers additional reductions on top.
Separately, OmniSalud / SilverEnhanced Savings (via Colorado Connect, not Connect for Health Colorado) provides $0-premium Silver plans to undocumented residents under 150% FPL, capped at 6,700 enrollees for 2026 by lottery.
Catastrophic plans in Colorado follow federal rules
Colorado follows the federal ACA default. Catastrophic coverage is available without an exemption for applicants under age 30 at the start of the plan year, or at any age with an approved affordability or hardship exemption from the Marketplace. APTC cannot be applied to Catastrophic plans, and neither can Colorado Premium Assistance.
Tobacco surcharges are capped at 15% in Colorado
Federal ACA permits up to a 1.5x (50%) premium multiplier for tobacco use. Colorado Revised Statutes § 10-16-107(2)(a)(III) caps the individual-market tobacco rating ratio at 1.15 to 1, a 15% maximum surcharge — one of the tightest state caps in the country. Carriers that apply the surcharge must also offer a bona-fide wellness or prevention program, and enrollees who participate get the non-tobacco rate.
Carriers selling 2026 plans in Colorado
6 carriers, 7,499 plans across 64 counties. 4,541 sold on Connect for Health Colorado, 2,958 off-exchange-only direct from carriers. Off-exchange plans aren't eligible for federal APTC or Colorado Premium Assistance.
| Carrier | Plans (on + off exchange) |
|---|---|
| Rocky Mountain Health Plans | 2,397 |
| Anthem | 2,351 |
| Kaiser Permanente | 1,228 |
| SelectHealth | 944 |
| Denver Health Medical Plan | 354 |
| Cigna Healthcare | 225 |
Enrollment
Open Enrollment for 2026 coverage runs November 1, 2025 through January 15, 2026. Enroll by December 15 for a January 1 effective date; December 16 through January 15 takes effect February 1. Special Enrollment is available year-round for qualifying life events.
Direct enrollment: connectforhealthco.com.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest ACA plan in Colorado for 2026?
The cheapest Bronze-tier plan a 40-year-old non-tobacco user can enroll in without paperwork is SelectHealth Select Health Value Bronze $8500 Medical Deductible in Larimer County at $390 per month before subsidies. Data refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
Does Colorado offer its own premium help on top of federal subsidies?
Yes. Starting with PY2026, Colorado Premium Assistance (CPA) layers on top of the federal premium tax credit for households under 200% of the Federal Poverty Level who qualify for APTC. CPA pays a flat $50 per month for the first household member and $18 per month for each additional member, is applied automatically at Connect for Health Colorado, and does not reconcile at tax time.
How much extra can I be charged in Colorado for using tobacco?
Colorado caps the tobacco surcharge at 15% (a 1.15-to-1 rate ratio) under C.R.S. § 10-16-107, compared with the federal ceiling of 50%. Carriers that apply any tobacco surcharge must also offer a wellness or prevention program, and enrollees who participate receive the non-tobacco rate.
Can I buy a Catastrophic plan in Colorado if I am over 30?
Only with an approved affordability or hardship exemption from the Marketplace. Colorado follows the federal ACA default: Catastrophic coverage is available without an exemption only to applicants under age 30 at the start of the plan year. APTC cannot be applied to Catastrophic plans.
Can I use Healthcare.gov to enroll in a Colorado ACA plan?
No. Colorado runs its own state-based exchange, Connect for Health Colorado, at connectforhealthco.com. HealthCare.gov redirects Colorado residents to the state marketplace, which is the only site that can apply both federal APTC and Colorado Premium Assistance to your plan.
Sources
- Connect for Health Colorado for SBE enrollment, OEP dates, and Colorado Premium Assistance application.
- Colorado Division of Insurance — Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise for HIAE authority, CPA program design, and funding source.
- Colorado DOI — Reinsurance Program for 1332 waiver, attachment-point design, and 2026 Payment Parameters.
- Colorado Revised Statutes § 10-16-107 for the 1.15-to-1 tobacco-rating cap on individual health benefit plans.
- CMS QHP Landscape Individual Medical 2026 for plan availability, premiums, and metal tiers.
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z. Methodology and full data attribution at about.