Best and cheapest health insurance in Ohio
Cheapest health insurance companies in Ohio
Molina is the cheapest health insurance company in Ohio, with Silver plans starting at $402 per month.
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Affordable health insurance in Ohio
- Molina is the cheapest health insurance company for most of Ohio, but it's not the cheapest everywhere because rates vary by county. Depending on where you live, Ambetter or Oscar may have the cheapest rates.
- Most people in Ohio don't have to pay full price for health insurance because of discounts called subsidies. How much you save is based on your income.
- You can also save by choosing a Bronze plan, which is about $100 per month cheaper than a Silver plan, on average. The tradeoff is you'll pay more for your medical care when you have a Bronze plan so it's usually the best level of coverage if you're healthy and have savings to cover medical bills.
Best health insurance companies in Ohio
Anthem is the best health insurance in Ohio for individuals and families.
Anthem is the most popular health insurance company in Ohio, and many doctors will accept it. Anthem's plans also provide a balance of affordable rates for high quality coverage. Plus coverage extras are often included.
Best-rated health insurance companies in Ohio
Company |
Editor rating
|
ACA rating
|
|---|---|---|
| Anthem | 3.0 | |
| AultCare Insurance Company | 4.0 | |
| UnitedHealthcare | NA | |
| SummaCare | 5.0 | |
| Molina Healthcare | 3.0 |
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- AultCare Insurance is the only company in Ohio that offers PPO plans which give you some coverage for any doctor in the country. These plans can be the best choice if you have chronic health conditions or if you travel often.
- UnitedHealthcare (UHC) plans have great medical coverage in Ohio, with plans that will start helping you pay for medical care much earlier than other companies. UHC's Silver plans have an average deductible of $2,500 which is about half of a typical plan. The downside is that UnitedHealthcare is expensive, with its cheapest Silver plan costing $481 per month.
SummaCare: Best health plans in the Akron area
SummaCare is one of the top health insurance companies in the country, earning a perfect score of five stars from HealthCare.gov. But plans are only available in Akron and nearby counties.
SummaCare's plans give you high quality medical care, have great customer satisfaction, and often include extras such as vision care and wellness programs.
The downside is that you'll have a smaller network of doctors and hospitals where you can use your plan, unless it's an emergency.
How much does health insurance cost in Ohio?
The average cost of health insurance in Ohio is $536 per month if you pay full price or $81 per month if you qualify for discounts.
Health insurance rates can vary widely based on factors such as how old you are and how much of your medical care the plan covers.
- Seniors pay more than younger people for health insurance. Health insurance costs more as you age because you're more likely to need ongoing medical care. In Ohio, a 60-year-old pays more than twice as much for a plan than a 40-year-old.
- If you have a lower income, you'll pay less for health insurance. That's because subsidies can lower your monthly bill. You're eligible for discounts if you earn less than $60,240 as a single person or less than $124,800 as a family of four.
Get affordable health insurance in Ohio by using subsidies
Many people can qualify for discounted rates by using health insurance subsidies to lower the cost of your health insurance based on your income.
In Ohio, the average cost of health insurance after subsidies is $81 per month.
How much you'll pay is based on your income. The lower your income, the more you'll save, and 43% of Ohio shoppers pay less than $10 per month after discounts.
Subsidies can be applied to a Bronze, Silver or Gold plan from any company.
Cheap Ohio health insurance plans by city
Molina has the cheapest Silver plan in Ohio. And it's the cheapest in several of the state's biggest cities, including Cleveland and Toledo.
But plan options and rates change based on where you live. If you live in Columbus, the cheapest Silver plan is Silver Simple PCP Saver (Select) from Oscar.
Cheapest health insurance by OH county
County | Cheapest plan | Monthly rates |
|---|---|---|
| Adams | Ambetter Clear Silver | $412 |
| Allen | Molina Silver 12 | $440 |
| Ashland | Ambetter Clear Silver | $414 |
| Ashtabula | Molina Silver 12 | $402 |
| Athens | Molina Silver 12 | $516 |
Cheapest Silver plan with rates for a 40-year-old
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Best health insurance by level of coverage
The best health insurance for you depends on how much medical care you expect to need and if you have an income that qualifies you for special programs.
Silver plans are a good choice for most people because they balance coverage and affordability.
Gold plans: Best if you need expensive or ongoing medical care
| Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care. |
Gold plans give you the highest level of coverage, which means you pay less for your medical care. They also have the lowest cap on your medical costs, called the out-of-pocket maximum.
Gold plans are also the most expensive tier, costing an average of $673 per month in Ohio.
However, the high monthly cost is worth it if you go to the doctor often, need expensive prescriptions, or have a complex medical condition.
Silver plans: Best if you have average medical needs
| Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care. |
Silver plans are the best for most people since they give you good coverage at a moderate price.
Silver plans cost an average of $536 per month.
You'll likely have to pay more before your benefits kick in than you would with a Gold plan. That's because Silver plans usually have higher health insurance deductibles. But if you have typical medical care needs, the lower monthly rate can offset the higher deductible.
Bronze and Catastrophic plans: Best if you're young and healthy
| Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. |
Bronze and Catastrophic plans have the cheapest rates but the highest deductibles, coinsurance and copays. That means you have to pay more when you get medical care.
Bronze plans cost an average of $432 per month in Ohio. These plans are good if you only see the doctor once in a while and have savings for an emergency. If something serious happens, like surgery or a hospital stay, you'll have to pay several thousand dollars for your medical care, before insurance starts paying for your medical care.
You can only buy a Catastrophic plan if you are under 30 or meet other requirements. And Catastrophic plans don't qualify for Obamacare tax credits, also called subsidies, so you won't be able to lower your monthly rate based on your income.
Cheap or free health insurance in Ohio for those with low incomes
Medicaid and Cost-Sharing Reductions are two programs that can help make medical care more affordable when you have a low income.
Medicaid: Free health insurance if you have a low income
Ohio Medicaid is usually free, and it pays for nearly all your medical care.
To qualify for Ohio Medicaid, you can earn up to about $21,000 as an individual or $44,000 as a family of four. You might be able to qualify with a higher income if you are pregnant, are under age 19 or have breast or cervical cancer.
Use cost-sharing reductions for cheaper medical care
Silver plans are the best health insurance plan if you earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. That's because you can get very cheap medical care through cost-sharing reductions (CSRs).
To qualify, you have to make less than about $37,650 per year as a single person or $78,000 per year as a family of four. You can combine cost-sharing reductions with subsidies to get both low monthly rates and cheap health care.
Are health insurance rates going up in Ohio?
Ohio health insurance costs an average of 3% more in 2025 than it did in 2024.
The cost of Bronze and Silver plans, which are the most popular coverage levels, have stayed about the same or gone down.
However, the cost of Gold plans increased by 12%, which is an extra $70 per month. Gold plans have the best coverage available in Ohio and are a good choice for those who have chronic illnesses or who need surgery.
Tier | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | $314 | $313 | 0% |
| Bronze | $440 | $432 | -2% |
| Silver | $535 | $536 | 0% |
| Gold | $603 | $673 | 12% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
All Obamacare health insurance plans give you important benefits
- Give you free preventive care (even if you haven't met the deductible)
- Help you avoid large medical debt if you have a major illness or injury.
- Don't charge you a higher rate if you have a health condition
Average cost of health insurance by family size in Ohio
The more people you have on your health insurance plan, the more you'll pay each month. An individual in Ohio pays an average of $535 per month for health insurance, and a family of four pays an average of $1,714 per month.
Family size | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Individual | $536 |
| Individual + Child | $857 |
| Couple, age 40 | $1,072 |
| Family of three | $1,393 |
| Family of four | $1,714 |
Averages based on a Silver plan for 40-year-old adults and children who are under age 15.
Health insurance for children under 15 costs an average of $321 per month. Insurance plans have one rate for children under 15. But at age 15, rates start to increase each year as they age.
Best short-term health insurance in Ohio
Anthem is the best short-term health insurance company in Ohio because of its great customer satisfaction.
Company | Customer satisfaction | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Anthem | Low | |
| Medical Mutual of Ohio | Low | |
| Paramount | High |
Short-term health insurance can be a good choice If you need a plan for a few months, such as if you're between jobs. Otherwise, it might make more sense to buy a regular health insurance plan from HealthCare.gov. With a regular plan, you'll usually get better coverage and can qualify for income-based subsidies to make plans affordable.
- Costs: The cost of short-term health insurance is based on your medical history. That's different from regular health insurance which costs the same rate for everyone and won't deny you coverage because of a pre-existing condition.
- Policy length: Short-term health insurance plans can only be used for up to four months. The length of the policy is limited because plans don't give you as much coverage as you'd get from a regular health insurance plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best cheap health insurance in Ohio?
Anthem is the best cheap health insurance company in Ohio. Anthem gives you access to a wide selection of doctors, includes great coverage, and has high customer satisfaction. The cheapest Anthem plan in Ohio costs $450 per month if you pay full price. That's $48 more than Molina, which has the absolute cheapest rates in the state, starting at $402 per month.
What is the average cost of health insurance in Ohio?
Health insurance costs an average of $536 per month in Ohio for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan. While average rates can be helpful, your rate will likely be different. Rates are based on your age, where you live, the amount of coverage you need, the size of your household, and the health insurance company you choose.
How do I get health insurance in Ohio?
The best way to get health insurance in Ohio is to apply through the federal health insurance exchange at HealthCare.gov. After you create an account, you can search for the plans in your area using your ZIP code. Use the filter feature to find the plans that fit your needs, like coverage for any prescription medication you take.
Methodology
Health insurance rates and plan information for 2025 were compiled from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) government website. ValuePenguin used the public use files (PUFs) to calculate averages by plan tier, age, family size and county to understand the health insurance marketplace within Ohio.
Short-term health insurance information is for companies with the largest market share in the state, according to S&P Global Capital IQ. Customer satisfaction and complaints is based on the complaint index from NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners).
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.