Here Are The Most & Least Expensive States For Health Insurance (2024)

Health insurance is a hotly debated political issue in the United States. It’s something we all need, but it is often expensive and out of reach for some people. While the health insurance debate takes place at the national level, health insurance rates actually vary between states. The two maps below show health insurance rates by state and average annual deductibles with a silver plan. Find your state and see how it compares to others.

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In the map above, states are split into four categories based on average monthly premiums per person. States colored red have an average monthly premium of between $651 and $780, states colored pink are between $451 and $550, states colored light green are between $451 and $550 and states colored dark green are between $411 and $450. The data were collected from United Benefit Advisors.

The Five States with Lowest Monthly Premiums

• Hawaii: $411
• Idaho: $415
• Utah: $423
• Arkansas: $431
• Mississippi: $432

The Five States with the Highest Monthly Premiums

• Alaska: $780
• Wyoming: $662
• New York: $624
• Vermont: $607
• New Jersey: $591

In this map, states are split into four categories based on the average annual deductible with a silver plan. States colored dark purple have an average annual deductible of between $5,000 and $6,913, states colored light purple are between $4,000 and $4,999, states colored teal are between $3,000 and $3,999 and states colored dark teal are between $1,733 and $2,999. The data were collected from Stride Health. The figures were calculated based on the average of four popular silver plan deductibles from each state for single males, age 40 years old, non-smokers and annual income of $51,640 (the median income for males of that age).The data were collected from Stride Health.

The Five States with Highest Annual Deductibles

• Florida: $6,913
• Indiana: $6,763
• Ohio: $6,625
• Georgia: $6,188
• New Hampshire: $6,163

The Five States with the Lowest Annual Deductibles

• Pennsylvania: $1,733
• Oklahoma: $1,863
• New Jersey: $2,075
• Massachusetts: $2,125
• New York: $2,175

In the first map of the average health insurance rates, it is plain to see that most states fall into the bottom two categories. Wyoming and Alaska have the most expensive average health insurance rates in the country. Only 11 states fall into the second highest category of between $551 and $650 per month on average. Average annual deductibles are more spread out compared to health insurance rates. States in the Midwest region, with some notable exceptions in the rust belt, have low deductibles compared to the rest of the country.

The rust belt is the region with the worst overall health insurance in terms of both costs and deductibles, but there are a few outliers. This is true of the south to a lesser extent. Deductibles are high in the south, but the premiums are generally lower. Indiana appears to have the worst combination of health insurance premiums and deductibles. The state has the 13th highest average monthly premium at $552 and the second highest a deductible in the country at $6,763. A study by the Rand Corporation found that some hospitals in Indiana charge more than three times what they charge Medicare for the same procedures. Neighboring Illinois is a close second for the worst outcome with the ninth highest average monthly premium at $552 and the 11th highest average annual deductible at $5,325.

There doesn’tappear to be a connection between monthly premiums and annual deductible. Take for example New York and New Jersey. New York has the third highest average monthly premium at $624 per month on average, yet it has the fifth lowest deductible in the country at $2,175. New Jersey has a similar trend. The state has fifth highest monthly premium at $591 per month on average, but it also has the third lowest annual deductible at $2,075 on average. People in New York and New Jersey pay more per month but pay less towards their deductible over all.

Now compare New York and New Jersey to Nevada and Kentucky. Nevada has the ninth lowest average monthly premium at $445 per month and also the ninth highest annual deductible in the country at $5,513 on average. Kentucky has the seventh lowest average monthly premium at $437 and the 13th highest deductible at $5,025. Although people in Kentucky and Nevada pay less per month on health insurance than people in New York and Kentucky, they have to pay far more towards their deductible if they need medical care. Currently Nevada is in the process or creating its own health insurance exchange to help people money.

Alaska is by far the most expensive at $780 per month on average. But despite the high monthly premiums, Alaska’s average annual deductible is right around average at $3,750. The federal government alleges that Alaska has anticompetitive healthcare laws that raises health insurance costs and hurts consumers. Hawaii has to lowest monthly premiums in the country at $411 per month on average and the seventh lowest average annual deductible at $2,750. When taking into account both monthly health insurance premiums and annual deductibles, Hawaii comes out on top compared to other states.

Both average monthly health insurance costs and average annual deductibles vary over the 50 states. But it’s not easy to tell what your deductible will based on your monthly health insurance costs, as the data shows. It’s best to take both factors into consideration. Based on these two factors, Hawaii has the best overall health care outcome. But if you spend all your day at the beach, your stress levels are so low you might not even need health care!

Data: Table 1.1

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