Best Cheap Health Insurance in Texas (2025)
Blue Cross Blue Shield is the best health insurance company in Texas. Its cheapest Silver plan costs $433 per month before discounts.
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Best and cheapest health insurance in Texas
Cheapest health insurance companies in Texas
Blue Cross Blue Shield has the cheapest health insurance plans in Texas, with Silver plans starting at $433 per month.
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Affordable health insurance in Texas
Company |
Cost
| |
|---|---|---|
| Ambetter | $427 - $709 |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas | $433 - $848 | |
| Community Health Choice | $456 - $682 | |
| Molina | $466 - $640 |
- Ambetter has the cheapest Silver plans overall and also has the cheapest rates in Houston.
- Silver plans are good for most people, but if you need more coverage, you should choose a Gold plan. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas has the cheapest rates for Gold plans.
- If you just need basic coverage, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas also has the cheapest rates for Bronze plans.
Best health insurance companies in Texas
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) has the best health insurance plans in Texas.
On top of its cheap rates, BCBS of Texas has great customer service and good coverage options. You can also get it no matter where you live in the state. About 90% of hospitals in Texas take BCBS insurance. Roughly four out of every five doctors in Texas also accept Blue Cross. That makes it easier for you to see the doctors you want for your health care.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas also has great extra perks, including the Blue365 discount program. If you buy a plan, you'll automatically get access to discounts on things like fitness gear, gym memberships and vision and hearing products.
Best-rated health insurance companies in Texas
Company |
Editor rating
|
ACA rating
|
|---|---|---|
| Sendero Health Plans | 4.0 | |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas | 3.0 | |
| CHRISTUS Health Plan | 3.0 | |
| Ambetter | 3.0 | |
| Baylor Scott and White Health Plan | 3.0 |
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Sendero has a higher ACA rating than Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, but it's only available in eight counties near Austin. If you live in the Austin area, getting a quote from Sendero is a good idea.
How much does health insurance cost in Texas?
Health insurance in Texas costs $610 per month, on average, but you could pay $33 per month or even less if you get discounts based on your income.
- Your age affects your health insurance costs. Rates grow slowly in your 20s and 30s before increasing rapidly as you move into middle age.
- In Texas, a 40-year-old will pay 28% more for health insurance than a 21-year-old across all plan tiers. By contrast, a 60-year-old will pay more than twice as much as a 40-year-old for the same level of coverage regardless of which plan tier they choose.
- Health insurance gets cheaper when you're eligible for Medicare. Texas Medicare Advantage plans usually cost less than $20 per month on top of the standard cost of the Medicare program, which is currently $174.70 per month.
Get affordable health insurance in Texas
Texas health insurance costs an average of $33 per month if you qualify for discounts based on your income.
These discounts are called subsidies. Close to two-thirds of Texans with ACA plans pay less than $10 per month for their coverage because of these discounts.
To qualify if you're single, you have to make between about $16,000 and $60,000 per year. For a family of four, the range is roughly $31,000 to around $125,000. Subsidies can be used for Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum plans, but not Catastrophic plans.
If you qualify for subsidies or another type of discount called a cost-sharing reduction, , a Silver plan is likely your best option. If you don't qualify for these discounts, get quotes for Gold plans, which are cheaper than Silver plans in Texas when you pay full price.
Cheap Texas health insurance plans by city
Ambetter has the cheapest Silver health insurance plans in Houston.
Baylor Scott and White has the cheapest Silver plans in Austin and Dallas, while Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas has the cheapest Silver plans in San Antonio.
Cheapest health insurance by TX county
County | Cheapest plan | Monthly rates |
|---|---|---|
| Anderson | UnitedHealthcare Silver Value | $516 |
| Andrews | Ambetter Standard Silver | $441 |
| Angelina | BCBS of Texas Blue Advantage Silver | $531 |
| Aransas | Ambetter Standard Silver | $544 |
| Archer | BCBS of Texas Blue Advantage Silver | $724 |
Cheapest Silver plan with rates for a 40-year-old
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Best health insurance by level of coverage
Finding the best health insurance plan for you depends on how much medical care you need and how much you can afford to spend each month.
- A Silver tier plan is usually the best deal if you earn less than $37,650 as a single person or $78,000 as a family of four. That's because you'll get a government subsidy that improves the plan's benefits and a discount on your rate. After the savings, you could pay very little for health insurance and health care.
- A Gold tier plan is best for most people in Texas who earn too much to qualify for cost-sharing reductions. Gold plans cover a large portion of your medical costs, and in Texas, Gold plans are cheaper than Silver if you don't qualify for discounts.
Gold plans: Best if you have a moderate or high income
| Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care. |
A Gold plan is a way to get affordable health insurance in Texas with good benefits. In Texas, Gold plans cost less than Silver plans unless you qualify for discounts, and about a third of people in the state have a Gold plan.
Gold plans typically have a smaller deductible than other tiers, meaning you'll pay less before your health insurance kicks in. And after your plan's full benefits begin, you'll pay less when you visit the doctor or fill a prescription than with other plans.
Gold plans cost an average of $537 per month in Texas.
Silver plans: Best for most people
| Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care. |
Silver health plans usually balance affordable monthly rates with inexpensive out-of-pocket costs, making them the most popular level of coverage in Texas. If you have a low income, you might pay less for health care and get discounts on your insurance rate with a Silver plan.
You'll pay an average of $610 per month for a Silver plan in Texas.
Bronze plans: Best for healthy people with emergency savings
| Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. |
Bronze plans are cheaper than Gold or Silver plans, but they also pay less when you go to the doctor. That means you have to pay more of your medical bills yourself. You should only consider a Bronze plan if you're in good health and you have enough savings to cover an unexpected illness or accident.
In Texas, Bronze plans cost $443 per month, on average.
Catastrophic plans: Best as a last resort
Catastrophic health insurance is the cheapest option you can buy, but it doesn't pay much when you go to the doctor. It's better than no health insurance, but it's not a good deal unless you're willing and able to pay a lot if you get sick or hurt.
You can only get a Catastrophic plan if you're under 30 or if you qualify for a hardship exemption. Catastrophic health insurance isn't eligible for marketplace subsidies, also called premium tax credits.
Catastrophic plans cost an average of $375 per month in Texas.
Cheap or free health insurance in Texas if you have a low income
If you can't afford health insurance or need help paying for medical bills even after you get a plan, you have a few options.
Medicaid in Texas
Medicaid is a type of free health insurance for people who have a low income.
Low-income health insurance in Texas can be difficult to get because Texas sets stricter rules about who can qualify, rather than expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). That means you must have a low income and meet one of the following criteria to qualify for Medicaid in Texas.
- Pregnant
- 65 or older
- Responsible for a child age 18 or younger
- Blind
- Disabled
- Caretaker for a disabled family member
Use cost-sharing reductions for cheaper medical care
If you have a low income and you buy a Silver plan, you can qualify for discounts called cost-sharing reductions (CSRs). These discounts lower the amount you have to pay when you go to the doctor, so health care is cheaper.
To qualify for CSRs, you can't make more than $37,650 as a single person or $78,000 as a family of four.
Are health insurance rates going up in TX?
The average cost of health insurance in Texas rose by 5% between 2024 and 2025.
Gold plans had the smallest average increase at 4% while Catastrophic and Silver plans both increased by 5%. Bronze plans rose by an average of 7% year on year.
Tier | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | $356 | $375 | 5% |
| Bronze | $415 | $443 | 7% |
| Silver | $584 | $610 | 5% |
| Gold | $519 | $537 | 4% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Affordable Care Act plans — also called ACA plans, marketplace plans or Obamacare plans — are health insurance plans you can buy on HealthCare.gov. All the plans cover at least 10 health circumstances, like emergency care and prescription medications.
The difference between the plans is how much of your medical bills they'll pay for. Lower-tier plans like Bronze and Catastrophic pay less, which means you have to pay more when you go to the doctor. Higher-tier plans like Silver and Gold pay a higher share of your bills, so you pay less for medical care.
Average cost of health insurance by family size in Texas
The cost of your health insurance policy will increase along with the size of your family. In Texas, a single parent with a child will pay $975 per month, on average, for a Silver plan. The average monthly bill for a married couple of two 40-year-olds is $1,220.
Add $365 per month, on average, for each additional child 15 or younger in your family.
Family size | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Individual | $610 |
| Individual + Child | $975 |
| Couple, age 40 | $1,220 |
| Family of three | $1,585 |
| Family of four | $1,950 |
Averages based on a Silver plan for 40-year-old adults and children who are under age 15.
How much is COBRA in Texas?
COBRA health insurance in Texas costs about $711 per month for a single person and $2,008 per month for a family, on average.
If you lose, quit or retire from your job, COBRA lets you continue the health insurance plan you had with your employer for 18 months.
COBRA health insurance is usually expensive because you'll have to pay the full cost of the plan, without any help from your former employer. When you were working, your employer paid much of the bill, so you were only paying part of the cost.
COBRA plans also aren't eligible for any subsidies or discounts, making them one of the most expensive types of health insurance when unemployed.
Rather than continuing the health insurance plan through your former job, you'll usually get a better deal by shopping for a plan on the Texas health insurance marketplace, HealthCare.gov.
Short-term health insurance in Texas
You can buy short-term health insurance in Texas. Policies are available for up to three months, and you can renew your plan for up to four months in a single year.
Pros of short-term health insurance in Texas
Cons of short-term health insurance in Texas
Frequently asked questions
Does Texas have free health care?
Texas has free health care, but only for some people. In Texas, you can qualify for Medicaid, a type of free government health insurance, if you earn a low income and you're pregnant, have a child at home, are a senior, have a disability, or another eligible situation. If you have a low income but you don't qualify for Medicaid, you should see if you're eligible for an ACA (Obamacare) subsidy.
How much does health insurance cost per month in Texas?
The average Silver health plan in Texas costs $610 per month for a 40-year-old. That's 5% more expensive than in 2024. A Gold plan costs $537 per month, on average. That makes it a good choice if you're not eligible for cost-sharing reductions (CSRs).
If you qualify for discounts based on your income, you'll pay an average of $33 per month for coverage.
Is $200 a month a lot for health insurance in Texas?
A Texas health insurance plan for $200 per month is a good deal, as it's about two-thirds less than average. The best way to get a plan that costs $200 per month or less is to shop on HealthCare.gov and use health insurance subsidies to get discounted rates. The lower your income, the more you'll save on insurance.
How do I find health insurance in Texas?
If you can't sign up for a group health plan through your employer, you should use HealthCare.gov to shop for a health marketplace plan.
Methodology
Public use files (PUFs) from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) were used to determine average costs according to age, county, plan tier and family size for the Texas health insurance market. Rates are for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan unless otherwise noted. To gather the cost of a plan with a subsidy, ValuePenguin used CMS data for everyone who qualified for advanced premium tax credits (APTCs) when shopping on HealthCare.gov during 2024 open enrollment.
ValuePenguin editors rate companies on a five-star scale, which was used to determine company quality. Medicaid expansion status information is from KFF. The cost of COBRA insurance is based on KFF's employer health benefits survey.
Additional sources include the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and S&P Global Capital IQ.
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.