Updated: August 11, 2026
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There are four health insurance providers available through beWellnm, New Mexico’s health insurance marketplace. Molina Healthcare has the cheapest health insurance in New Mexico, with an average monthly premium of $666. Presbyterian Health Plan is the most expensive, averaging $980 per month.
Only HMO plans are available in the state, with no PPO, EPO or POS options. Health insurance rates vary based on your county, provider, age and metal tier.
Molina Healthcare | $666 | -$173 | $7,992 | -$2,076 |
Blue Cross Blue Shield | $773 | -$66 | $9,276 | -$792 |
UnitedHealthcare | $937 | +$98 | $11,244 | +$1,176 |
Presbyterian Health Plan, Inc. | $980 | +$141 | $11,760 | +$1,692 |
* Average monthly rates represent the rounded mean of each provider's monthly plan rates in New Mexico. Your actual rates will vary based on age, location and chosen plan.
Health insurance costs in New Mexico depend on age, provider and metal level. Use the filterable table below to find the cheapest plans for your unique needs.
| Presbyterian Health Plan, Inc. | Silver Select $7,000 w/Gym with Limited Service Area | $582 | $10,150 | $7,000 |
| Molina Healthcare | Molina Clear Cost Silver On Exchange | $593 | $9,300 | $4,800 |
| Presbyterian Health Plan, Inc. | PHP Clear Cost Silver with Limited Service Area | $667 | $9,300 | $4,800 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | Blue Community Silver HMO 203 - On Exchange | $684 | $10,150 | $1,800 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | Blue Community Silver HMO 308 - On Exchange | $702 | $10,150 | $4,250 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | Blue Cross Blue Shield Clear Cost Silver Plan - On Exchange | $760 | $9,300 | $4,800 |
| UnitedHealthcare of New Mexico, Inc. | UHC Silver Value On Exchange | $769 | $10,000 | $4,750 |
| UnitedHealthcare of New Mexico, Inc. | UHC Silver Advantage On Exchange | $789 | $9,200 | $4,250 |
| UnitedHealthcare of New Mexico, Inc. | UHC Clear Cost Silver On Exchange | $817 | $9,300 | $4,800 |
| Presbyterian Health Plan, Inc. | Silver $7,000 w/Gym | $852 | $10,150 | $7,000 |
| Presbyterian Health Plan, Inc. | PHP Clear Cost Silver | $977 | $9,300 | $4,800 |
Health insurance metal levels indicate how costs are split between you and your insurer, rather than the quality of care you receive. Bronze plans have lower monthly premiums but higher out-of-pocket costs, while Gold plans have higher premiums but lower deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. Silver plans fall between the two.
Blue Cross Blue Shield is the only provider in New Mexico that offers Bronze plans, with an average monthly premium of $513. Molina Healthcare has the cheapest average premiums for both Silver and Gold plans in the state. Its Silver plans average $593 per month and qualify for premium tax credits based on household income. Eligible Silver plan enrollees can also receive cost-sharing reductions, which lower deductibles, copays and other out-of-pocket costs. Molina’s Gold plans average $558 per month.
Bronze | Blue Cross Blue Shield | $513 | $7,000 | $10,150 |
Silver | Molina Healthcare | $593 | $4,800 | $9,300 |
Gold | Molina Healthcare | $558 | $2,275 | $7,050 |
Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Bronze HMO is the cheapest health insurance plan on average across all age groups we analyzed. Average monthly premiums range from $367 for an 18-year-old to $1,090 for a 60-year-old. Although Bronze plans have lower monthly premiums, they come with higher out-of-pocket costs when you need care. Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Bronze plan has an average deductible of $7,000 and an average maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) limit of $10,150.
18 | Blue Cross Blue Shield | HMO | Bronze | $367 | $7,000 | $10,150 |
26 | Blue Cross Blue Shield | HMO | Bronze | $411 | $7,000 | $10,150 |
40 | Blue Cross Blue Shield | HMO | Bronze | $513 | $7,000 | $10,150 |
50 | Blue Cross Blue Shield | HMO | Bronze | $718 | $7,000 | $10,150 |
60 | Blue Cross Blue Shield | HMO | Bronze | $1,090 | $7,000 | $10,150 |
The cheapest health insurance plan in New Mexico depends on how much medical care you expect to use. For a 40-year-old with low medical usage, Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Bronze HMO has the lowest estimated total annual cost at $7,156. For moderate and high usage, Molina Healthcare’s Gold HMO is the cheapest, with estimated total annual costs of $9,516 and $12,516, respectively.
To compare plans by medical usage, we modeled three levels of annual medical expenses before insurance payments: $1,000 for low usage, $5,000 for moderate usage and $20,000 for high usage. Total annual costs include 12 months of premiums plus estimated out-of-pocket expenses. We assumed members pay covered expenses up to the deductible and 20% coinsurance afterward, up to the plan’s maximum out-of-pocket limit. Your actual costs will vary based on copays, coinsurance, covered services and negotiated network rates.
Low ($1,000) | Blue Cross Blue Shield | Bronze HMO | $513 | $1,000 | $7,156 |
Moderate ($5,000) | Molina Healthcare | Gold HMO | $558 | $2,820 | $9,516 |
High ($20,000) | Molina Healthcare | Gold HMO | $558 | $5,820 | $12,516 |
Avg. Monthly Rate
Avg. MOOP
Avg. Deductible
Avg. Monthly Rate
Avg. MOOP
Avg. Deductible
Health insurance costs in New Mexico average $513 per month for a 40-year-old with a Bronze plan, compared with $759 for Silver and $712 for Gold. Age also affects rates. Bronze coverage averages $367 per month for an 18-year-old and $1,090 for a 60-year-old. New Mexico’s marketplace only has HMO plans, which require a primary care physician and referrals for specialists. Your premium will vary by county, insurer and metal tier.
18 | $367 | $543 | $512 |
26 | $411 | $608 | $571 |
40 | $513 | $759 | $712 |
50 | $718 | $1,061 | $996 |
60 | $1,090 | $1,613 | $1,513 |
* Rates shown are statewide averages.
New Mexico residents can lower their health insurance costs by shopping through the state marketplace, qualifying for subsidies and picking a plan that matches their actual usage, not just the lowest premium.
New Mexico's official health insurance marketplace, beWellnm, is the only place to access premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions. Buying off-marketplace means you lose eligibility for those subsidies, even if you qualify for them.
Households earning between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level qualify for Advance Premium Tax Credits. In 2026, that's $15,960 to $63,840 for a single person. Subsidies can reduce your monthly premiums by hundreds of dollars.
New Mexico expanded Medicaid under the ACA. Adults earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level ($22,025 for a single person) qualify for Centennial Care, which is free or near-free coverage.
While Silver plan premiums in New Mexico are higher on average than Gold plans before subsidies, they qualify for cost-sharing reductions if your income falls below 250% of the federal poverty level. A subsidized Silver plan costs less out of pocket than a Bronze or Gold plan.
Catastrophic plans are available to adults under 30 and cover three primary care visits per year before the deductible. Bronze plans have the lowest monthly premiums. The catch is that both of these tiers have high deductibles and out-of-pocket costs, so they’re best suited to people who rarely need care and can afford higher costs if unexpected medical needs arise.
Losing job-based coverage, getting married or having a child opens a 60-day window to enroll outside of Open Enrollment, which runs November 1 through January 15 in New Mexico.
Shop during open enrollment (November 1 to January 15) and compare plans from Molina Healthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield and UnitedHealthcare of New Mexico, Inc. across multiple metal tiers. Check your eligibility for premium tax credits through the Health Insurance Marketplace. HMO plans cost less than PPO options in New Mexico.
New Mexico doesn't require health insurance. The federal individual mandate penalty ended in 2019, so you won't incur tax penalties for going uninsured. Coverage provides financial protection from high medical costs and covers preventive care and treatment.
Premium tax credits are available to New Mexico residents who buy coverage through HealthCare.gov and earn between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. For a single adult, that range is roughly $15,960 to $63,840 per year in 2026. Households above 400% of the poverty level may still qualify under the American Rescue Plan's expanded credit rules. Check eligibility at HealthCare.gov before choosing a plan, since subsidies can cut your monthly premium below any of the rates listed on this page.
Health insurance shopping in New Mexico means sorting through multiple providers with different rate structures across age groups and plan types. We analyzed every available plan from federal marketplace data to find which insurers have the lowest premiums for New Mexico residents. This rate data comes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Health Insurance Exchange Public Use Files. We accessed it in January 2026, and it covers every plan available to New Mexico residents for the 2026 plan year.
Research Approach
We collected premium data for five ages: 18, 26, 40, 50 and 60. These ages show how rates change from young adult coverage through near-Medicare eligibility, covering the full cost range New Mexico residents face at different life stages.
Why We Focus on 40-Year-Olds
Our primary affordability rankings use 40-year-old rates because this age sits at the midpoint of the working-age population in New Mexico. Using one consistent age removes variables and allows clear comparisons across providers without age distorting the results.
Age-Specific Rankings
We also ranked insurers separately at each age bracket. A provider that's cheapest for young adults may not be most affordable for someone near 60, so age-specific rankings help identify the best rate for each life stage.
All data comes from federal sources and covers metal tiers and plan types available to New Mexico residents through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Patrick Bryant is the Vertical Lead for Health Insurance at MoneyGeek, where he researches insurance products, writes consumer guides and maintains the scoring methodologies behind our provider comparisons. He analyzed more than 100 health insurance carriers across all 50 U.S. states and multiple policy types. His methodologies are reviewed quarterly to reflect current market conditions and carrier data.
