Colorado
Cheapest ACA plans in Boulder, Colorado for 2026
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
Boulder is in Boulder County, Colorado. 5 carriers sell 2026 ACA plans on Connect for Health Colorado for residents of Boulder County, and the cheapest Bronze plan a 40-year-old can enroll in starts at $394/month before any subsidy. Carriers are licensed and rated at the county level, so the plans below cover everyone in Boulder County, including Boulder.
Cheapest plans by metal tier
Lowest 2026 monthly premium for a single 40-year-old in Boulder (Boulder County), 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 in Boulder County |
|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | $359 | 4 |
| Expanded Bronze | $394 | 30 |
| Bronze | $463 | 1 |
| Gold | $490 | 19 |
| Silver | $500 | 34 |
The actual cheapest Bronze plan in Boulder
HMO Colorado, Inc. Anthem Bronze Pathway Essentials X 10300 $0 Select Drugs
$394/moFor a family of four (two 40-year-olds and two kids under 14): HMO Colorado, Inc. Anthem Bronze Pathway Essentials X 10300 $0 Select Drugs at $1,258/month before subsidies.
Carriers selling 2026 plans in Boulder
5 carriers sell 2026 plans on Connect for Health Colorado for Boulder County residents. 140 plans total in Boulder County.
| Carrier | On-exchange plans |
|---|---|
| Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado | 29 |
| HMO Colorado, Inc. | 25 |
| Rocky Mountain Health Maintenance Organization, Incorporated | 12 |
| Cigna | 11 |
| SelectHealth | 11 |
What you'll actually pay in Boulder
Estimated monthly net premium for the cheapest Bronze plan above ($394/mo before subsidy) on Connect for Health Colorado, after federal APTC and Colorado Premium Assistance. APTC is computed against the Boulder Countybenchmark Silver per 26 USC §36B. Approximate; exact net varies by plan's EHB% and child-rate structure.
Single 40-year-old
| Annual income | FPL % | Federal APTC | State subsidy | Cheapest Bronze net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | 160% | $413/mo | $80/mo | $0/mo |
| $40,000 | 256% | $223/mo | $80/mo | $91/mo |
| $60,000 | 383% | $12/mo | $80/mo | $302/mo |
| $100,000 | 639% | — | — | $394/mo |
Family of 4 (two 40-year-olds, two children)
| Annual income | FPL % | Federal APTC | State subsidy | Cheapest Bronze net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | 124% | — | $167/mo | Medicaid likely |
| $80,000 | 249% | $1,069/mo | $167/mo | $22/mo |
| $130,000 | 404% | — | — | $1,258/mo |
| $200,000 | 622% | — | — | $1,258/mo |
FPL = Federal Poverty Level. APTC = Advance Premium Tax Credit (the federal subsidy). Off-exchange and Catastrophic plans are not APTC-eligible. Enter your real income on the home page to see plan-specific net premium with the per-plan EHB-percent cap applied.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest ACA plan in Boulder, Colorado for 2026?
The cheapest Bronze plan a 40-year-old can enroll in is HMO Colorado, Inc. Anthem Bronze Pathway Essentials X 10300 $0 Select Drugs at $394 per month before subsidies. Plans sell through Connect for Health Colorado. Boulder is in Boulder County, Colorado; carriers are licensed and rated at the county level. Data refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
How does Boulder's 2026 ACA pricing compare to other Colorado cities?
Cheapest Bronze for a 40-year-old in Boulder is $394 per month before subsidies. For comparison: Denver at $402/mo; Colorado Springs at $402/mo; Aurora at $402/mo. Different cities can have different cheapest plans because plans are sold per county and carrier participation varies by jurisdiction.
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.
More Colorado pricing
- Statewide Colorado pricing and metal tiers
- Denver pricingcheapest Bronze $402/mo
- Colorado Springs pricingcheapest Bronze $402/mo
- Aurora pricingcheapest Bronze $402/mo
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.
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z. Full pricing pipeline + regulatory references at methodology; ACA terminology in the glossary.