Missouri
Cheapest ACA plans in Missouri for 2026
Cheapest Bronze plan in Missouri, before subsidies: Ambetter from Home State Health Standard Expanded Bronze in Franklin County at $405/month for a 40-year-old; Ambetter from Home State Health Standard Expanded Bronze in Franklin County at $1,294/month for a family of four (two 40-year-olds and two kids under 14). Missouri uses Healthcare.gov, expanded Medicaid in October 2021 after voters approved Amendment 2 in 2020, 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, 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 | $365 | 91 |
| Expanded Bronze | $405 | 1,543 |
| Bronze | $406 | 216 |
| Gold | $510 | 1,444 |
| Silver | $523 | 1,676 |
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, before any subsidy. Catastrophic plans excluded because adults 30+ typically need a hardship-exemption certificate to enroll.
St. Louis County
$405/moAmbetter from Home State Health · Standard Expanded Bronze
Jackson County
$442/moAmbetter from Home State Health · Standard Expanded Bronze
St. Charles County
$405/moAmbetter from Home State Health · Standard Expanded Bronze
Greene County
$485/moAmbetter from Home State Health · Standard Expanded Bronze
Clay County
$442/moAmbetter from Home State Health · Standard Expanded Bronze
Boone County
$546/moUnitedHealthcare · UHC Bronze Essential (No Referrals)
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.
St. Louis County
$1,294/moAmbetter from Home State Health · Standard Expanded Bronze
Jackson County
$1,414/moAmbetter from Home State Health · Standard Expanded Bronze
St. Charles County
$1,294/moAmbetter from Home State Health · Standard Expanded Bronze
Greene County
$1,551/moAmbetter from Home State Health · Standard Expanded Bronze
Clay County
$1,414/moAmbetter from Home State Health · Standard Expanded Bronze
Boone County
$1,745/moUnitedHealthcare · UHC Bronze Essential (No Referrals)
Subsidies: federal APTC only (no state premium subsidy)
Missouri does not fund a supplemental state premium subsidy or §1332 reinsurance waiver. Marketplace help is federal only:
- 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, so the hard 400% FPL cliff is back.
- Federal cost-sharing reductions (CSRs). Households 100-250% FPL enrolled in a Silver plan receive reduced deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket maximums automatically.
Missouri expanded Medicaid effective October 1, 2021, following voter approval of Amendment 2 in August 2020 (53% yes). Implementation was delayed by the legislature and forced by a July 2021 Missouri Supreme Court ruling. Adults 19-64 up to 138% FPL now qualify, so there is no coverage gap in Missouri.
Catastrophic plans in Missouri follow federal rules
Missouri follows the federal ACA default: Catastrophic plans are available to enrollees under age 30, or at any age with a hardship / affordability exemption. The PY2026 federal auto-expansion applies: adults 30+ automatically qualify when the lowest-cost Bronze plan exceeds the affordability threshold. APTC does not apply to Catastrophic plans.
Tobacco surcharges follow the federal 1.5x default in Missouri
Missouri 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 Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance reviews rate filings under Mo. Rev. Stat. Chapter 376. No Missouri-specific cap below the federal 1.5x ceiling has been identified. Federal APTC does not offset the tobacco portion of the premium.
Carriers selling 2026 plans in Missouri
8 carriers sell 2026 plans on Healthcare.gov; 1 additional carrier offers off-exchange-only plans (not subsidy-eligible). 12,061 plans across 115 counties. Missouri has a relatively competitive individual market. Ambetter (Celtic) and UnitedHealthcare both reach all 115 counties for PY2026. Medica (89 counties), Anthem (Elevance, 85 counties), and Oscar compete broadly. BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas City serves the Kansas City metro on the Missouri side (separate licensee from Anthem). Cox Health Systems, SSM Health, and Cox HealthPlans cover select regional markets.
| Carrier | On-exchange plans | Counties |
|---|---|---|
| Ambetter | 1,744 | 109 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 1,495 | 115 |
| Anthem | 850 | 85 |
| Medica | 486 | 54 |
| Oscar | 165 | 40 |
| BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas City | 159 | 30 |
| SSMHIC Insurance Company | 36 | 4 |
| Cox HealthPlans | 35 | 5 |
Also selling off-exchange only
These carriers sell plans directly (not through Healthcare.gov). Off-exchange plans are not eligible for federal APTC or state subsidies.
| Carrier | Off-exchange plans |
|---|---|
| Bankers Reserve Life Insurance Co. | 5,980 |
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
What is the cheapest ACA plan in Missouri for 2026?
The cheapest Bronze-tier plan a 40-year-old can enroll in without paperwork is Ambetter from Home State Health Standard Expanded Bronze in Franklin County at $405 per month before subsidies. Data refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
Does Missouri use Healthcare.gov?
Yes. Missouri participates in the federally-facilitated Marketplace (FFM), so enrollment and subsidy applications run through healthcare.gov. Missouri does not operate a state-based exchange.
Has Missouri expanded Medicaid?
Yes, effective October 1, 2021. Missouri voters approved Amendment 2 in August 2020 with 53% support, directing the state to expand Medicaid to adults 19-64 up to 138% FPL. The legislature initially refused to fund the expansion; a July 2021 Missouri Supreme Court ruling forced implementation. There is no coverage gap in Missouri.
What was the Amendment 2 delay about?
Missouri voters passed Amendment 2 in August 2020 making Medicaid expansion a constitutional requirement. The Missouri legislature then refused to appropriate funding in its 2021 budget. A lawsuit resulted in a July 2021 Missouri Supreme Court ruling that the state must fund the expansion, and coverage for the expansion population began October 1, 2021.
Which carriers offer Missouri plans on Healthcare.gov?
Missouri has a relatively competitive individual market. For PY2026, expect Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield (Elevance), Ambetter (Celtic), UnitedHealthcare, Oscar, Medica, the Cox Health Systems / Cox HealthPlans pair, and Healthy Alliance, with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City serving the KC metro (a separate BCBS licensee from Anthem). Cigna and Aetna CVS both exited the Missouri individual market for PY2026. County-level availability varies.
Does Missouri have a state premium subsidy on top of federal APTC?
No. Missouri does not fund a state premium assistance program or §1332 reinsurance waiver. The only financial help for Marketplace enrollees is federal APTC and CSRs, and the ARPA/IRA enhanced credits expired at the end of 2025.
Compare Missouri with other states
- Illinois (shares a border)
- Iowa (shares a border)
- Kansas (shares a border)
- See all 51 jurisdictions side by side
Browse county pages in Missouri
County-level pricing pages with the cheapest plan in each county.
Browse city pages in Missouri
City-level pricing pages for major Missouri cities.
Carriers in Missouri
Per-carrier 2026 pricing pages with the cheapest plan from each carrier.
Sources
- HealthCare.gov for enrollment, OEP dates, and federal APTC / CSR application.
- Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance for rate review, carrier filings, and consumer guidance.
- Missouri Department of Social Services: MO HealthNet for MO HealthNet Medicaid eligibility and expansion enrollment.
- KFF: Missouri State Health Facts for Medicaid expansion, enrollment, and benchmark premium context.
- CMS 2026 OEP National Snapshot for federal Marketplace enrollment context.
- CMS QHP Landscape Individual Medical 2026 for plan availability, premiums, and metal tiers.
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z. Full pricing pipeline + regulatory references at methodology; ACA terminology in the glossary.