Texas
Cheapest ACA plans in Dallas County, Texas for 2026
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
Dallas County, Texas anchors the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and is the second-largest ACA market in Texas. Ten on-exchange carriers compete here, led by Oscar (23 plans), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, and Wellpoint. Aetna, Ambetter, Cigna, Friday, Molina, and UnitedHealthcare also sell. Plans sell through HealthCare.gov; Texas runs no state premium-subsidy program, so federal APTC is the only subsidy layer for 2026 (the 400 percent FPL cliff applies in PY2026 with the ARPA enhanced subsidies expired). Tobacco surcharges are carrier-set, not capped at the state level.
Cheapest plans by metal tier
Lowest 2026 monthly premium for a single 40-year-old in Dallas 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 Dallas County |
|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | $412 | 2 |
| Expanded Bronze | $433 | 30 |
| Bronze | $475 | 3 |
| Gold | $588 | 51 |
| Silver | $667 | 52 |
The actual cheapest Bronze plan in Dallas County
Wellpoint Insurance Company Wellpoint Essential Bronze 6000 ($0 Virtual PCP + $0 Select Drugs + Incentives)
$433/moFor a family of four (two 40-year-olds and two kids under 14): Wellpoint Insurance Company Wellpoint Essential Bronze 6000 ($0 Virtual PCP + $0 Select Drugs + Incentives) at $1,385/month before subsidies.
Carriers selling 2026 plans in Dallas County
10 carriers sell 2026 plans on Healthcare.gov. 202 plans total in this county.
| Carrier | On-exchange plans |
|---|---|
| Oscar | 23 |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas | 22 |
| Wellpoint | 21 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 14 |
| Ambetter | 12 |
| Molina | 12 |
| Cigna | 11 |
| Baylor Scott & White | 10 |
| Imperial Insurance Companies, Inc. | 7 |
| Superior Health Plan | 6 |
What you'll actually pay in Dallas County
Estimated monthly net premium for the cheapest Bronze plan above ($433/mo before subsidy) on Healthcare.gov, after federal APTC. APTC is computed against the Dallas 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 | Cheapest Bronze net |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | 160% | $571/mo | $0/mo |
| $40,000 | 256% | $381/mo | $52/mo |
| $60,000 | 383% | $170/mo | $263/mo |
| $100,000 | 639% | — | $433/mo |
Family of 4 (two 40-year-olds, two children)
| Annual income | FPL % | Federal APTC | Cheapest Bronze net |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | 124% | $2,064/mo | $0/mo |
| $80,000 | 249% | $1,575/mo | $0/mo |
| $130,000 | 404% | — | $1,385/mo |
| $200,000 | 622% | — | $1,385/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 Dallas County, Texas for 2026?
The cheapest Bronze plan a 40-year-old can enroll in is Wellpoint Insurance Company Wellpoint Essential Bronze 6000 ($0 Virtual PCP + $0 Select Drugs + Incentives) at $433 per month before subsidies. Plans sell through Healthcare.gov. Data refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z.
Where do Texans buy ACA plans for 2026?
Texas uses the federal Marketplace at HealthCare.gov. Texas does not run a state-based exchange, so all PY2026 enrollment, subsidy eligibility, and plan changes go through HealthCare.gov. Open Enrollment runs November 1, 2025 through January 15, 2026, with December 15 as the deadline for January 1 coverage.
Does Texas offer any state premium help on top of federal APTC?
No. Texas has no state-funded premium subsidy, cost-sharing assistance program, or state reinsurance program. Texans rely on the federal advance premium tax credit through HealthCare.gov; about 92% of PY2026 Texas enrollees qualify for APTC, averaging roughly $667 per month in federal help.
What happens if my income is below the poverty line in Texas?
Texas has not expanded Medicaid, which creates a coverage gap. Non-disabled childless adults under 65 generally cannot qualify for Texas Medicaid at any income level, and federal Marketplace subsidies on HealthCare.gov only begin at 100% FPL. Roughly 570,000+ Texas adults fall into this gap. Check categorical Medicaid pathways (pregnancy, disability, dependent children), CHIP, and community health-center sliding-scale options.
More Texas pricing
Sources
- HealthCare.gov for enrollment, OEP dates, and federal APTC / CSR application.
- CMS: Texas Geographic Rating Areas for the 25 MSAs + 1 non-MSA rating-area structure.
- Texas Department of Insurance: 2026 Health Coverage Guide for official Texas consumer guide and carrier participation list.
- CMS 2026 OEP National Snapshot for enrollment scale (TX ~4.17M, 2nd-largest marketplace).
Plan year 2026, last refreshed 2026-04-19T08:08:55.462Z. Full pricing pipeline + regulatory references at methodology; ACA terminology in the glossary.