Cheapest ACA plans in Delaware for 2026

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).

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.

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.

Subsidies: federal APTC + Delaware Reinsurance Program

Two programs apply on Healthcare.gov for Delaware residents:

1. Federal Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC). Households 100-400% FPL on the PY2026 standard ACA contribution curve. The ARPA / IRA enhanced subsidies expired 2025-12-31 and are not in effect for 2026.
2. Delaware Individual Health Insurance Market Stabilization Reinsurance Program. Active since benefit year 2020 under 18 Del. C. Chapter 85. The §1332 waiver reimburses carriers for high-cost individual-market claims, reducing gross premiums before APTC applies. No consumer application; savings are already reflected in posted premiums.

Delaware expanded Medicaid effective January 2014. Adults 19-64 up to 138% FPL qualify regardless of parental status or disability, so there is no coverage gap in Delaware.

Catastrophic plans in Delaware follow federal rules

Delaware follows the federal ACA default: Catastrophic coverage is available to enrollees under age 30, or at any age with a hardship / affordability exemption. The PY2026 federal auto-expansion applies. APTC does not apply to Catastrophic plans.

Tobacco surcharges follow the federal 1.5x default in Delaware

Delaware applies the federal ACA default (45 CFR 147.102): carriers may charge tobacco users up to 50% more than non-users (a 1.5-to-1 rate ratio). The Delaware Department of Insurance reviews rate filings under 18 Del. C. No Delaware-specific cap below the federal 1.5x ceiling has been identified. Federal APTC does not offset the tobacco portion.

Carriers selling 2026 plans in Delaware

4 carriers, 132 plans across 3 counties. 120 sold on Healthcare.gov, 12 off-exchange-only direct from carriers. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware is the dominant statewide carrier across all three counties. AmeriHealth Caritas and Aetna CVS Health re-entered or expanded in recent plan years, giving Delaware a small but meaningfully multi-carrier market for PY2026.

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: healthcare.gov.

Frequently asked questions