Best and cheapest health insurance in Arizona
Cheapest health insurance companies in Arizona
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) has the cheapest health insurance plans in Arizona. Silver plans start at $322 per month.
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Affordable health insurance in Arizona
Company |
Cost
| |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona | $322 - $883 | |
| Imperial Insurance Companies, Inc. | $365 - $762 | |
| BannerAetna | $368 - $814 | |
| Ambetter from Arizona Complete Health | $371 - $563 |
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Blue Cross Blue Shield has the cheapest Silver plans for nearly everyone in Arizona. Ambetter and UnitedHealthcare have the cheapest rates in Cochise, Graham, Greenlee and La Paz counties, but this only accounts for 3% of the state's population.
- If you're young and healthy, you may get a better deal by choosing a plan tier with less coverage, even if you have to pay more at the doctor. In Arizona, the cheapest Bronze plan is from Imperial Insurance Companies and the cheapest Catastrophic plan is from Oscar.
Best health insurance companies in Arizona
Ambetter has the best health insurance in Arizona for both individuals and families.
Ambetter health insurance is high quality and affordable. The company has a strong four out of five-star rating from HealthCare.gov. These ratings measure overall plan quality, customer satisfaction and how well plans are run.
Best-rated health insurance companies in Arizona
Company |
Editor rating
|
ACA rating
|
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona | 3.5 | |
| Ambetter from Arizona Complete Health | 4.0 | |
| UnitedHealthcare | 3.0 | |
| Imperial Insurance Companies, Inc. | NA | |
| BannerAetna | 3.0 |
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In Arizona, Cigna also has top-rated plans according to HealthCare.gov. However, Cigna's plans are expensive. Its cheapest Silver plan costs $158 more per month than Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Oscar has a high four out of five-star rating from HealthCare.gov, but it gets significantly more complaints than an average company its size. .
Best health insurance in Arizona for fast coverage
UnitedHealthcare is a good choice if you want to pay less before your coverage starts. That's because UnitedHealthcare has the lowest deductibles for Silver health plans, on average, in Arizona, at $2,600. That's almost half what you'd pay with an average Blue Cross Blue Shield Silver plan.
How much does health insurance cost in Arizona?
Health insurance in Arizona costs an average of $529 per month if you pay full price or $75 per month if you qualify for discounts based on your income.
- The plan level you buy affects how much you pay for health insurance. Plans with less coverage, like Catastrophic and Bronze plans, have lower monthly costs, but you'll pay more when you go to the doctor.
- Your age affects health insurance rates, too. Typically, insurance companies charge younger people less because they tend to need less health care. For example, a 60-year-old pays more than twice as much as a 40-year-old for the same level of coverage in Arizona.
Get affordable health insurance in Arizona
Arizona health insurance costs an average of $75 per month for those to qualify for subsidies.
Most people in Arizona who shop for marketplace health insurance qualify for discounted rates by using health insurance subsidies.
Your health insurance costs will be based on your income. The lower your income, the more you'll save. After subsidies, about 43% of Arizona shoppers pay less than $10 per month for a health insurance plan.
You can qualify for discounts if you earn less than $60,240 as an individual or less than $124,800 as a family of four. And you can use subsidies to help pay for plans from any company you choose.
Cheap Arizona health insurance plans by city
Blue Cross Blue Shield has the most affordable health insurance in Phoenix, at as little as $344 per month for a Silver plan.
Blue Cross Blue Shield also has the cheapest health insurance in Phoenix's large suburbs like Mesa and Scottsdale and other large cities like Tucson.
Cheapest health insurance by AZ county
County | Cheapest plan | Monthly rates |
|---|---|---|
| Apache | Arizona Blue AdvanceHealth Silver | $697 |
| Cochise | Ambetter Complete Health Clear Silver | $483 |
| Coconino | Arizona Blue Silver with Health Choice | $483 |
| Gila | Arizona Blue Silver with Health Choice | $369 |
| Graham | Ambetter Complete Health Clear Silver | $483 |
Cheapest Silver plan with rates for a 40-year-old
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Blue Cross Blue Shield has the cheapest plans for more than 97% of the people in Arizona.
In Cochise, Graham, Greenlee and La Paz counties the cheapest plan could be from UnitedHealthcare or Ambetter.
Best health insurance by level of coverage
For most people, a Silver health insurance plan is the best level of coverage because it balances how much you pay each month with the cost of medical care.
However, the best coverage tier for you depends on both your medical needs and if your income qualifies you for special programs.
Gold plans: Best if you need surgery or expensive treatment
| Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care. |
A Gold plan can be worth it if you need expensive or complex medical care, or if you go to the doctor often. That's because Gold plans let you pay less for your health care bills. Your deductible, coinsurance, copays and out-of-pocket maximum will usually be lower than other plan levels.
In Arizona, Gold plans cost $680 per month. That's 28% more than Silver plans, on average.
Silver plans: Best for average health care needs
| Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care. |
Silver plans are the best health insurance tier for most people. They offer a balance between low rates and good coverage.
Silver plans cost an average of $529 per month in Arizona.
Silver plans don't have as much coverage as Gold plans. So you'll have to pay more for medical care and prescriptions. But the cheaper monthly rates will save you money each month. This makes them worth it if you expect to go to the doctor for routine care, but don't plan to need expensive medical care such as surgery or childbirth.
Bronze plans: Best if you're young and healthy
| Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. |
Bronze plans are a good choice if you don't go to the doctor very often. Bronze plans are cheap, averaging $426 per month in Arizona. You'll have to pay more when you go to the doctor, but you'll still save overall if you only go to the doctor a few times a year.
It's a good idea to make sure you have enough savings to cover the deductible, coinsurance and copays, and the out-of-pocket maximum in case something severe happens like a serious illness or injury.
Silver plans: Best if you have a low income but don't qualify for Medicaid
| Silver plans will pay 73% to 94% of your medical costs if you have a low income. |
If you have a low income but don't qualify for Medicaid, a Silver plan is the best choice because you can save on medical care through cost-sharing reductions.
You're eligible if you earn less than about $38,000 per year as an individual or $78,000 per year as a family of four. And Silver plans are the only level where you can use the program to lower your deductible, copays, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximum.
Catastrophic plans: Best to prevent financial disaster
Catastrophic plans can be good if you only want coverage for a sudden and serious health problem, like a car accident or major illness.
Catastrophic plans are cheap, but they usually don't start paying for medical care until after you have paid $9,200 of doctor bills yourself. So be sure that you have enough emergency savings if you choose a Catastrophic plan.
Also, keep in mind that Catastrophic plans are not eligible for subsidies. So if you have a low or moderate income, a discounted Bronze plan after subsidies could be cheaper than paying full price for a Catastrophic plan.
Medicaid: Free health insurance in AZ if you have a low income
Medicaid is the best health insurance if you have a low income. You're usually eligible for Medicaid in Arizona if you make less than about $21,000 as an individual or $44,000 as a family of four.
You can make more and still qualify if you're under 19 or if you are pregnant. If you have breast or cervical cancer, are 64 or younger and don't qualify for another Medicaid program, you can get Arizona Medicaid benefits without an income requirement.
Are health insurance rates going up in Arizona?
The cost of health insurance in AZ rose by 3%, on average, between 2024 and 2025.
Catastrophic plans saw the largest increase, at an average of 9%. The cost of a Gold plan rose by 4%, on average, and Silver plans got 2% more expensive, on average. Bronze plans decreased slightly in price by 1%, on average.
Tier | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | $272 | $296 | 9% |
| Bronze | $429 | $426 | -1% |
| Silver | $517 | $529 | 2% |
| Gold | $652 | $680 | 4% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
If you're shopping for coverage in 2025, it could be useful to compare your current rate to other plan levels. You may be able to get more coverage without paying much more.
Obamacare health insurance plans give you important medical benefits, no matter what level of coverage you choose.
- Free check-ups and preventive care as soon as the plan starts
- Won't be denied a plan or pay more if you have an existing health condition.
- Helps you avoid medical debt after a major illness or injury because your costs are capped
Short-term health insurance in Arizona
In Arizona, you can get short-term health insurance for up to three months at a time.
You can renew your short-term coverage for up to a total of four months in a single year. So, if you have a three-month policy, you could renew it for up to one more month. That means you can have short-term coverage for four consecutive months if you renew.
Pros of short-term health insurance in AZ
Cons of short-term health insurance in AZ
Cost of Arizona health insurance by family size
Health insurance costs vary depending on the size of your family. Adding a child under the age of 15 to a Silver plan adds about $317 per month to your rate. That means the average cost of health insurance for a family of four on a Silver plan is $1,691 per month.
Family size | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Individual | $529 |
| Individual + Child | $846 |
| Couple, age 40 | $1,058 |
| Family of three | $1,375 |
| Family of four | $1,691 |
Averages based on a Silver plan for 40-year-old adults and children who are under age 15.
Average cost of Arizona health insurance by plan type
If you're shopping for Arizona health insurance on HealthCare.gov, you can choose between two types of health insurance plans, HMOs and PPOs.
Type | Cost |
|---|---|
| HMO | $499 |
| PPO | $747 |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan.
- HMOs require that you have a primary care doctor, get referrals to see specialists and only use in-network doctors to have coverage. Because of these restrictions, they tend to cost less.
- PPOs let you see any doctor, although you'll pay more if you go to an out-of-network location. You also don't need a referral to go to a specialist. PPOs usually cost more, but they give you more flexibility when getting medical care.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cheap health insurance in Arizona?
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) has the best cheap health insurance plan for most people in Arizona. Silver plans start at $322 per month, and BCBS has highly rated PPO plans, although PPO plans carry a higher price tag.
How much is health insurance in Arizona?
The average cost of health insurance in Arizona is $529 per month for a 40-year-old buying a Silver plan. If you have a low-to-average income, you may qualify for health insurance subsidies that lower the monthly cost of insurance based on your income. Many people that qualify can get a plan for less than $10 per month after subsidies.
How do I get free health insurance in Arizona?
You may qualify for free or low-cost health insurance in Arizona through Medicaid. Medicaid plans provide coverage for things like doctor visits, vaccines, prescriptions and other essential health care needs. For eligibility and application info, Arizona's Medicaid agency explains the many ways you can qualify.
Methodology
The Arizona health insurance rate data for 2025 used in this analysis was sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website. ValuePenguin used the CMS public use files (PUFs) in calculations to average rates across a variety of factors such as plan tier, county and family size. Plans and providers for which county-level data was included in the CMS Crosswalk file were used in our analysis. Those excluded from this data set may not appear.
Rates are based on a 40-year-old with a Silver plan, unless otherwise noted. Additional sources include S&P Global Capital IQ, NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners), and the Arizona Department of Insurance.
Editorial note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.