Molina offers Michigan's best HMO coverage at $401 monthly, making it easy on your budget. You'll pay slightly more for Oscar's EPO plan at $420 monthly, but you won't need referrals to see specialists. Blue Cross Blue Shield's PPO plan costs $658 monthly and lets you visit any doctor without network restrictions. Your final rate depends on your age, where you live and which coverage level you choose.
Best Health Insurance in Michigan (2025)
Updated: October 24, 2025
Advertising & Editorial Disclosure
Key Takeaways
Molina offers Michigan's best health insurance at $401 monthly for Silver HMO plans with strong claims approval rates.
EPO plans average $420 monthly while PPOs cost $658, charging you $238 more for out-of-network freedom without referrals.
To find the best health insurance in Michigan, educate yourself on companies available to you, decide coverage needs beforehand and compare plan quotes from several companies.
Best Health Insurance Companies in Michigan
HMO | Molina | $401 | $8,563 | Silver, Gold |
EPO | Oscar | $420 | $8,938 | Catastrophic, Bronze, Expanded Bronze, Silver, Gold |
PPO | Blue Cross Blue Shield | $658 | $9,100 | Catastrophic, Bronze, Expanded Bronze, Silver, Gold |
*Our picks are the average quotes for 40-year-olds in Michigan for silver tier plans of the companies MoneyGeek surveyed.
Best HMO Health Insurance Company in Michigan: Molina
pros
Processes claims smoothly with just 0.2% denial rate
Out-of-pocket maximum of $8,563 caps your annual costs
Depression disease management programs included at no extra cost
cons
Network smaller than PPO options
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Molina Healthcare ranks as our top pick in Michigan for the best HMO plans. Molina charges $401 monthly for Silver coverage, saving you $89 per month compared to Michigan's average. Over a year, you'll pocket $1,067 in savings. The plan covers depression disease management programs, providing mental health support that can prevent more expensive health issues down the road.
Molina's marketplace plans include free virtual care through Teladoc, letting you connect with board-certified doctors by phone or video 24/7. The 24-hour nurse advice line, staffed by registered nurses, provides immediate answers to medical questions any time you need guidance.
Michigan residents who need extra help managing chronic conditions can access Molina's case management services at no additional cost. A trained nurse works with you and your primary care doctor to coordinate care and connect you with needed services.
Best EPO Health Insurance in Michigan: Oscar
pros
Exceptionally low claims denial rate means your claims get approved
$420 monthly for Silver EPO coverage
Free 24/7 virtual urgent care through the app
Dedicated Care Team for coverage questions
cons
Must stay in-network for all non-emergency care
Only available in select Michigan counties
Bronze, Silver and Gold tiers only
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Oscar earns our top pick for best EPO plans in Michigan. At $420 monthly for Silver coverage, you get predictable costs without fighting for coverage - Oscar's 0.12% denial rate beats most Michigan insurers.
EPO plans let you see specialists without referrals while keeping premiums lower than PPO options. Book dermatologist or orthopedist appointments directly through Oscar's network and skip the primary care visit first. Generic prescriptions cost $3 for 30-day supplies with home delivery through the app.
Virtual urgent care connects you with doctors 24/7 at no cost, typically saving $600-$900 versus emergency room visits. Your dedicated Care Team answers benefit questions and helps find in-network providers through Oscar's app. The $8,938 out-of-pocket maximum caps your annual costs. Bronze plans work for healthy people wanting lower premiums, while Gold plans suit frequent doctor visits.
Best PPO Health Insurance Michigan: Blue Cross Blue Shield
pros
Michigan's only marketplace PPO available in all 83 counties
Access to 95% of Michigan doctors without referrals needed
Lower claims denial rate at 17% compared to 19% national average
cons
Prior authorization required for some services
More expensive than HMO alternatives
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Blue Cross Blue Shield offers Michigan's only statewide PPO plan on the marketplace, giving you freedom to see specialists without referrals. The Silver plan costs $658 monthly with a $9,100 out-of-pocket maximum. Blue Cross provides coverage in all 83 Michigan counties and access to 95% of the state's doctors. The company approves 83% of claims, performing better than the marketplace average. You get virtual care management, behavioral health services and care coordination included.
What sets Blue Cross apart in Michigan is accessibility. The company offers 38 marketplace plans for 2025 across four metal tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Catastrophic), providing coverage in every Michigan county. This matters when you need specialists or travel frequently within the state, since you're never limited to narrow provider networks.
Premium costs run higher than HMO alternatives, but the trade-off gives you control over your healthcare decisions. You can visit out-of-network providers if needed, though you'll pay more than staying in-network.
Best Health Insurance by Metal Level
Michigan won't let insurers check your credit score or charge different rates based on gender, which keeps pricing fairer across the board.
Here's why Silver matters: if you earn under $39,125 yearly, Molina's Silver plan gets you cost-sharing reductions that cut your deductibles and copays way down. Bronze plans don't qualify for these savings no matter how cheap they look upfront. Catastrophic plans are only available if you're under 30 or have a hardship waiver from the government.
Catastrophic | McLaren Health Advantage | $374 | $4,491 | $9,450 |
Bronze | Blue Cross Blue Shield | $378 | $4,540 | $9,450 |
Expanded Bronze | Ambetter | $389 | $4,668 | $9,193 |
Silver | Molina | $401 | $4,810 | $8,563 |
Gold | Physicians Health Plan | $490 | $5,886 | $7,833 |
DIFFERENT METAL TIERS AVAILABLE IN MICHIGAN
Michigan offers five metal tiers that balance monthly premiums against what you'll pay when receiving care:
- Catastrophic: Lowest monthly cost but highest deductible. You'll pay full price for most care until hitting that threshold. Only available if you're under 30 or qualify for a hardship exemption.
- Bronze: Covers 60% of medical costs for a typical 40-year-old after you meet your deductible. Works well if you're healthy and want protection from worst-case scenarios without paying high monthly premiums.
- Expanded Bronze: This plan splits the difference between Bronze and Silver with moderate premiums. Some plans include extras like disease management programs that help coordinate care for chronic conditions.
- Silver: Covers 70% of costs for a typical adult and qualifies for cost-sharing reductions if your income is below $39,125. These subsidies can boost your coverage to 87% or 94%, making Silver cheaper than Bronze when you actually use it.
- Gold: Covers 80% of costs for a typical 40-year-old individual with lower deductibles and copays. Best choice if you see doctors frequently or take multiple prescriptions.
How Much Does Health Insurance Cost in Michigan?
Michigan's health insurance costs stay close to the national average, but your actual premium depends more on your age and other factors such as your location. A 40-year-old pays around $514 monthly for Silver coverage, while someone turning 60 faces $906. Network type also makes a bigger difference than you'd expect. EPO plans average $420 monthly, while HMOs cost $492 on average, giving you primary care coordination for an extra $72 monthly. Michigan also expanded Medicaid, so if you earn under $21,597 as an individual, you qualify for free coverage through the Healthy Michigan Plan instead of paying marketplace premiums.
The two tables below reflect average monthly costs across different plan types and age groups:
Average Health Insurance Costs by Plan Type in Michigan
| EPO | $420 | $5,035 |
| HMO | $492 | $5,908 |
| PPO | $658 | $7,894 |
Health Insurance Costs in Michigan by Age
| Children | $308 | $3,695 |
| Teens | $367 | $4,410 |
| Young Adults | $412 | $4,946 |
| Adults | $514 | $6,173 |
| Seniors | $906 | $10,867 |
How to Find the Best Health Insurance for You in Michigan
Shopping for health insurance can be overwhelming, with dozens of plans and confusing terminology. Here's how to cut through the noise and find coverage that actually works for your situation.
- 1Identify insurers serving your area
Michigan insurers don't all operate statewide. Priority Health dominates West Michigan, while Blue Cross Blue Shield covers all 67 counties. Check Healthcare.gov's Michigan coverage map before you waste time comparing plans you can't even buy.
- 2Calculate your expected health care usage
Be honest about how often you'll use insurance. See your doctor monthly? Silver or gold plans with lower copays beat bronze plans. Healthy and rarely go? Bronze plans save you $2,000-3,000 annually compared to gold-tier options.
- 3Compare total annual costs
Don't fall for low premiums alone. A $400 monthly plan with a $4,500 deductible costs $9,300 if you hit that deductible. A $550 plan with a $2,000 deductible totals just $8,600. You'll save $700 with the "expensive" plan.
- 4Research company reputations before enrolling
Try reading J.D. Power ratings and state complaint data to identify insurers with the best claims handling. Companies with low denial rates and high satisfaction scores will not fight you when you need care most.
- 5Verify your doctors and prescriptions are covered
Call your doctor's billing office directly, since online directories aren't always current. Check formularies for your medications, too. Your blood pressure medication might cost $15 in one plan but $65 in another.
- 6Shop during Open Enrollment or qualifying events
Open Enrollment runs November 1-January 15 each year. Lost your job, got divorced, or had a baby? You can enroll within 60 days through Special Enrollment. Compare quotes from three insurers at a minimum to find the best rates.
- 7Check your subsidy eligibility
Michigan families earning up to $120,000 often qualify for premium subsidies that cut costs 50-70%. These subsidies can slash your costs by half or more. If you're 65 or older, skip marketplace plans and look at Medicare Advantage plans or Michigan Medicare Supplement coverage instead, as they'll give you better benefits for less money out of pocket.
Bottom Line
Start by comparing quotes from at least three Michigan insurers to find coverage that fits your budget and doctor preferences. Molina charges $401 monthly for Silver HMO plans and approves most claims hassle-free. Need to see specialists without referrals? You'll pay around $658 for PPO flexibility instead of $420 for EPO plans.
Best Michigan Health Insurance: FAQ
Below, we've answered frequently asked questions about the best health insurance in Michigan:
What is the best health insurance provider in Michigan for 2025?
Molina provides the best HMO health insurance in Michigan for 2025 at $401 monthly for Silver coverage, with an exceptionally low 0.2% claims denial rate. However, the best health insurance varies widely depending on your needs and county. Oscar's EPO plan costs $420 monthly and doesn't require specialist referrals, while Blue Cross Blue Shield offers Michigan's only statewide PPO at $658 monthly.
What should you look for when shopping for the best health insurance plan in Michigan?
When finding the best health insurance plan, compare premium costs and coverage breadth to ensure the plan meets your specific medical needs without gaps in essential services. The ideal plan balances affordability with comprehensive coverage that aligns with your health requirements and anticipated medical expenses.
Can I get free health insurance in Michigan if I can't afford marketplace plans?
Michigan's Healthy Michigan Plan is free if you earn under $21,597 as an individual or $29,173 for a family of two. You get the same coverage as marketplace plans without paying premiums or deductibles. Apply anytime at michigan.gov/mdhhs. You don't have to wait for open enrollment like you do with marketplace plans.
How We Chose the Best Health Insurance in Michigan
To rank health care insurance providers in Michigan, MoneyGeek researched premiums, out-of-pocket costs, claims denial rates and plan types for each available company and compared them across different categories. We then weighted each category to calculate an overall MoneyGeek score and derive rankings.
We weighted most categories as follows:
- Maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) score (20%): The MOOP is the most you'll pay per year for health care costs outside of your monthly premiums. The provider with the lowest average MOOP scores the highest.
- Claims denial score (10%): How often a provider denies claims. The provider with the lowest claims denial rate scores the highest.
- Rate score (50%): How much the provider's monthly plans cost. The cheapest provider, on average, gets the highest score.
- Provider type score (20%): Providers score better if they have plan types with broader coverage. A provider with many PPO plans will get the highest score.
In some cases, we adjusted the weightings as follows:
- For the category "Best Health Insurance by Plan Type in Michigan," we decreased the provider type score weighting to 0% to reflect that we are comparing providers' plans like-for-like. We increased MOOP and claims denial score weightings by 10% each.
Sample Consumer:
MoneyGeek collected data on all available plans in Michigan for consumers aged 18, 26, 40, 50 and 60. Unless otherwise noted, all monthly premiums are for a 40-year-old buyer on a Silver-tier plan. Plans analyzed in each section include the relevant cited metal tiers, which include Catastrophic, Bronze, Expanded Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
Related Articles
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!
He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.