Idaho
Cheapest ACA plans in Idaho for 2026
Cheapest Bronze plan in Idaho, before subsidies: Moda Health Moda Select Idaho Bronze 10,000 + Vision Exam in Ada County at $331/month for a 40-year-old non-tobacco user; Moda Health Moda Select Idaho Bronze 10,000 + Vision Exam in Ada County at $1,055/month for a family of four (two 40-year-olds and two kids under 14). Idaho runs its own SBE (Your Health Idaho), expanded Medicaid via 2018 Proposition 2, and relies on federal APTC with no state premium wraparound.
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 | $214 | 190 |
| Expanded Bronze | $331 | 1,198 |
| Bronze | $349 | 61 |
| Silver | $468 | 1,412 |
| Gold | $493 | 767 |
| Platinum | $649 | 18 |
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.
Ada County
$331/moModa Health · Moda Select Idaho Bronze 10,000 + Vision Exam
Canyon County
$331/moModa Health · Moda Select Idaho Bronze 10,000 + Vision Exam
Kootenai County
$358/moRegence BlueShield of Idaho · ICON Bronze Essential 9000 With 4 Copay No Deductible Office Visits POS
Bonneville County
$364/moBlue Cross of Idaho · MVN East Bronze Connect 8000
Bannock County
$355/moRegence BlueShield of Idaho · ICON Bronze Essential 9000 With 4 Copay No Deductible Office Visits POS
Bingham County
$355/moRegence BlueShield of Idaho · ICON Bronze Essential 9000 With 4 Copay No Deductible Office Visits POS
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.
Ada County
$1,055/moModa Health · Moda Select Idaho Bronze 10,000 + Vision Exam
Canyon County
$1,055/moModa Health · Moda Select Idaho Bronze 10,000 + Vision Exam
Kootenai County
$1,141/moRegence BlueShield of Idaho · ICON Bronze Essential 9000 With 4 Copay No Deductible Office Visits POS
Bonneville County
$1,163/moBlue Cross of Idaho · MVN East Bronze Connect 8000
Bannock County
$1,132/moRegence BlueShield of Idaho · ICON Bronze Essential 9000 With 4 Copay No Deductible Office Visits POS
Bingham County
$1,132/moRegence BlueShield of Idaho · ICON Bronze Essential 9000 With 4 Copay No Deductible Office Visits POS
Subsidies: federal APTC only (no state premium subsidy)
Idaho does not fund a supplemental state premium subsidy or §1332 reinsurance waiver. Federal programs apply:
- Federal Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC). Households 100-400% FPL on the PY2026 standard ACA contribution curve, applied through Your Health Idaho. The ARPA / IRA enhanced subsidies expired 2025-12-31 and are not in effect for 2026.
- Federal cost-sharing reductions (CSRs). Households 100-250% FPL enrolled in a Silver plan receive reduced deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket maximums automatically.
Idaho expanded Medicaid effective January 1, 2020 under Proposition 2, approved by Idaho voters in November 2018. Adults 19-64 up to 138% FPL qualify regardless of parental status or disability, so there is no coverage gap in Idaho.
Catastrophic plans in Idaho
Your Health Idaho follows the federal ACA default for Catastrophic plans: eligibility is limited 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. Note that Idaho also permits non-ACA-compliant "enhanced short-term" plans off-exchange under state rules; those do not appear on Your Health Idaho and do not qualify for APTC.
Tobacco surcharges follow the federal 1.5x default in Idaho
Idaho 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 Idaho Department of Insurance reviews rate filings under Idaho Code Title 41. No Idaho-specific cap below the federal 1.5x ceiling has been identified. Federal APTC does not offset the tobacco portion.
Carriers selling 2026 plans in Idaho
8 carriers, 3,853 plans across 44 counties. 3,646 sold on Your Health Idaho, 207 off-exchange-only direct from carriers. Five carriers on Your Health Idaho for PY2026: Blue Cross of Idaho (statewide, dominant), Mountain Health CO-OP (the last remaining ACA co-op, serving Idaho and Montana), PacificSource Health Plans, Regence BlueShield of Idaho, and SelectHealth (Intermountain).
| Carrier | Plans (on + off exchange) |
|---|---|
| Blue Cross of Idaho | 1,166 |
| SelectHealth | 758 |
| Regence BlueShield of Idaho | 514 |
| Molina | 403 |
| Moda Health | 352 |
| Mountain Health CO-OP | 288 |
| PacificSource Health Plans | 264 |
| St. Luke's Health Plan | 108 |
Enrollment
Open Enrollment for 2026 coverage on Your Health Idaho runs October 15, 2025 through December 15, 2025 for January 1 effective dates. Idaho's OEP window is historically shorter than the federal window — verify dates on YHI before enrolling. Special Enrollment is available year-round for qualifying life events.
Direct enrollment: yourhealthidaho.org.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest ACA plan in Idaho for 2026?
The cheapest Bronze-tier plan a 40-year-old non-tobacco user can enroll in without paperwork is Moda Health Moda Select Idaho Bronze 10,000 + Vision Exam in Ada County at $331 per month before subsidies. Data refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
Is Idaho on Healthcare.gov?
No. Idaho runs its own state-based exchange, Your Health Idaho (YHI), and was in fact the first state to launch an SBE in 2013. Healthcare.gov does not serve Idaho.
Has Idaho expanded Medicaid?
Yes, effective January 1, 2020. Idaho voters approved Proposition 2 in November 2018 with 60% support, directing the state to expand Medicaid under ACA. Adults 19-64 with income up to 138% FPL qualify regardless of parental status or disability, so there is no coverage gap.
When is Idaho Open Enrollment for 2026?
Your Health Idaho historically runs a shorter OEP window than Healthcare.gov, often October 15 to December 15 for January 1 effective dates. Confirm the specific PY2026 window on yourhealthidaho.org before enrolling. Special Enrollment is available year-round for qualifying life events.
What is Mountain Health CO-OP?
Mountain Health CO-OP is the last remaining ACA Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (co-op) in the country. It serves Idaho and Montana and has been on Your Health Idaho since the exchange launched.
Does Idaho have a state premium subsidy or reinsurance program?
No. Idaho does not fund a state premium subsidy or §1332 reinsurance waiver. Marketplace help is federal APTC and CSRs only; the ARPA/IRA enhanced credits expired at the end of 2025.
Sources
- Your Health Idaho for SBE enrollment, OEP dates, and APTC application.
- Idaho Department of Insurance for rate review, carrier filings, and consumer guidance.
- Idaho Department of Health and Welfare — Medicaid Expansion for Proposition 2 expansion eligibility and enrollment.
- Idaho Proposition 2 (2018 Ballot) for the voter-approved Medicaid expansion.
- KFF — Idaho State Health Facts for Medicaid expansion, enrollment, and benchmark premium context.
- CMS QHP Landscape Individual Medical 2026 for plan availability context (Idaho plan data ingests via YHI separately).
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z. Methodology and full data attribution at about.