Best Affordable Health Insurance Companies

Blue Cross Blue Shield fits the bill if you want a Silver metal plan that provides excellent value. The nationwide group of companies also offers great pricing for people over 60. BCBS has an average National Committee for Quality Assurance rating of 3.59, the second-highest of the major health insurance providers we reviewed. The NCQA evaluates health plans for patient care quality, patient satisfaction, and health plans' efforts to improve. This is a positive indicator of customer satisfaction.

BCBS is available in 36 states and offers the largest provider network, with more than 1.7 million doctors and hospitals. Its plans span PPOs, HMOs, EPOs, and point-of-service (POS) plans across all metal levels (Bronze, Expanded Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Catastrophic). Policyholders in dozens of states get access to Blue365, an extensive discount program that offers savings on fitness, nutrition, personal care, and more. These factors also landed BCBS on our list of the best health insurance companies and best health insurance for the self-employed.

(Note that we excluded Anthem from our evaluation of BCBS because it is a large competitor of BCBS in some markets.)

If you don’t want to worry about paying for doctor’s visits, Oscar may be a good option. The company offers some plans with $0 physician copays. The company also offers free virtual care and $3 generic prescriptions in some states. If you’re under 30 or otherwise qualify due to income, you may be eligible for Oscar’s Secure plan, otherwise known as a Catastrophic plan on the Exchange. 

Oscar offers an app that’s well-rated on Google Play and the App Store, allowing you to find care and get rewarded for meeting your physical step goals. 

However, the company’s rating from NCQA, which measures care quality, patient satisfaction, and health plans' efforts to improve, is low relative to other providers. And while Oscar offers inexpensive care options, the overall value is relatively low when considering premiums, deductibles, and copays together.

Oscar is headquartered in New York City and was founded in 2012.

Kaiser offers very low monthly plan premiums if you’re lucky enough to live in a state where the insurer provides coverage. However, Kaiser’s low-premium plans can translate into a higher copay than the competition. But if you don't use health care frequently, Kaiser Permanente’s Bronze plan can be an excellent choice.

There are other reasons to go with Kaiser, apart from cost. Kaiser wins high marks for its care quality and patient satisfaction. It came first across four regions in the 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Commercial Health Plan Study. Its plans also earn the highest average NCQA ratings of all providers we reviewed, with an average of 4.2 stars. These ratings score the quality of patient care, patient satisfaction, and health plans' efforts to improve.

The main drawback is that Kaiser is only available in California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia. And if you prefer to mix and match your care providers, understand that Kaiser insurance primarily offers HMOs relying on its own Kaiser Permanente integrated health care system (physicians, clinics, and hospitals).

Kaiser was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Oakland, California.

Because Aetna’s plans in most states include only the essential health benefits (EHBs) outlined by the Affordable Care Act, all of your premiums with those plans are eligible for advanced premium tax credits, which could leave you with a $0 premium depending on your income.

Aetna plans also offer an excellent alternative to urgent care for same-day care for minor illnesses and injuries via walk-in CVS MinuteClinics. In addition, many of Aetna’s ACA plans in 2024 are offering $5 generic drug copays, a $25 per quarter allowance for CVS-branded products, and 20% off on CVS-branded products. 

If you have a high-deductible plan, you must meet your deductible before MinuteClinic visits are free, but you will still get discounted service. The value of Aetna plans can vary significantly between markets, and the plans are available in only 12 states: New York, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Maryland, Nevada, and California. In addition, Aetna doesn’t offer Catastrophic plans.

Aetna was founded in 1853. Its parent company, CVS Health, is headquartered in Rhode Island.