Best Montana Health Insurance (2024 Plans)


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Updated: September 5, 2024

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MoneyGeek Logo IconBest Health InsuranceMontana
2024

Best Health Insurance in Montana

Why Trust MoneyGeek? We downloaded plan data for Montana directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). MoneyGeek’s scoring methodology balances costs, claims approval and plan types to find the best providers in the state.

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Plan data was updated with the CMS exchange data released in October 2023 for the 2024 enrollment period.

103Plans Analyzed
 
8Providers Compared

Best Overall for Health Insurance in Montana

Mountain Health CO-OP scored 97 out of 100, making it the provider of the best health insurance in Montana. It has cheaper plan options, lower out-of-pocket costs and better-than-average rates of claim approvals.

We evaluated 21 health insurance plans in Montana for this analysis.

MoneyGeek Pick: Mountain Health CO-OP

Mountain Health CO-OP

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Affordable premium rates

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Low out-of-pocket costs

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Few claims denied

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Diverse plan options

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Only offers PPO plans, which typically cost more than other plan types

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

Mountain Health CO-OP is MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Montana. The company offers 13 Silver PPO plans at an average rate of $474 per month and an average MOOP of $7,601. It has a denial rate of 5%, which is lower than most of the competition.

Mountain Health CO-OP's Silver PPO plans tend to have more out-of-network coverage.

Plan Recommendations

MoneyGeek recommends the following Silver plans:

  • ROCKY MOUNTAIN SILVER HDHP: $423 per month; MOOP $5,500
  • Plus Silver HDHP: $485 per month; MOOP $5,500
  • ACCESS SILVER HDHP: $516 per month; MOOP $5,500

Best Health Insurance in Montana for Low Out-of-Pocket Costs

Mountain Health CO-OP offers the best health insurance in Montana for low out-of-pocket costs with a MoneyGeek score of 97 out of 100.

The company provides cost-effective plan options, has some of the lowest out-of-pocket costs and is better than average when it comes to not denying claims.

We looked at 18 Gold plans in Montana for this study.

MoneyGeek Pick: Mountain Health CO-OP

Mountain Health CO-OP

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Affordable premium rates

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Low out-of-pocket costs

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Few claims denied

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Offers a variety of plan types

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Only offers PPO plans

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Montana for low out-of-pocket costs is Mountain Health CO-OP. They offer an average plan rate of $571 and an average MOOP of $5,520. Mountain Health CO-OP has a denial rate of about 5%, which is lower than most of the competition.

PPO plans like these usually give you more choices for doctors and hospitals outside of the network. Mountain Health CO-OP offers 12 Gold PPO plans.

Plan Recommendations

MoneyGeek recommends the following plans:

  • ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOLD HDHP: $484 per month; MOOP $3,500
  • Plus Gold HDHP: $553 per month; MOOP $3,500
  • ACCESS GOLD HDHP: $592 per month; MOOP $3,500

Best Cheap Health Insurance in Montana

The best cheap provider of health insurance in Montana Mountain Health CO-OP, with a MoneyGeek score of 98 out of 100. The company offers plans with lower average rates and smaller average amounts for out-of-pocket expenses. It also turns down fewer claims than most other providers.

MoneyGeek reviewed 21 Silver health plans in Montana for this analysis, comprising two Silver POS plans and 19 Silver PPO plans. In choosing the best cheap health insurance, plans with lower monthly premiums were weighed more heavily, even though plans with lower premiums usually mean paying more out-of-pocket when you need care.

Cheap health insurance options can be important for saving money on monthly costs, but it's important to look at all parts of a health plan to see what is best for you.

MoneyGeek Pick: Mountain Health CO-OP

Mountain Health CO-OP

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Highly affordable premium rates

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Low out-of-pocket costs

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Very few claims denied

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Wide variety of plan options

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Only offers PPO plans

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best cheap health insurance in Montana is Mountain Health CO-OP. It offers 13 different Silver plans. They offer an average plan rate of $501 and an average MOOP of $7,601. Mountain Health CO-OP has a denial rate of 5%, which is lower than most of the competition.

Their Silver plans are all PPO types, which usually give you more options for going to doctors outside of the network.

Plan Recommendations

MoneyGeek recommends the following cheap Silver plans:

  • ROCKY MOUNTAIN SILVER HDHP: $423 per month; MOOP $5,500
  • ROCKY MOUNTAIN SILVER: $422 per month; MOOP $9,000
  • Plus Silver HDHP: $485 per month; MOOP $5,500

Best Health Insurance for Low Income in Montana

Mountain Health CO-OP provides the best health insurance in Montana for those with low income, scoring 78 out of 100. Mountain Health CO-OP has the most affordable plans and low rates of claim denials. It offers a variety of plan options.

In Montana, for this analysis, we looked at two Silver POS plans and 13 Silver PPO plans.

MoneyGeek focused on plans with low monthly premiums and included only plans with cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) to find the best option for those with low income. CSRs help bring down your maximum out-of-pocket costs and deductible if your income is below a certain level. This means you don't have to choose between paying less each month and paying less when you get medical care. While a regular Silver plan pays for about 70% of health care costs, here's what you can expect with a CSR Silver plan if you earn a certain amount each year:

  • If you make between $27,180 and $33,975, you can expect about 73% of your health insurance costs to be covered.
  • If you make between $20,385 and $27,180, you can get about 87% of costs covered.
  • If you earn less than $20,385, about 94% of your costs might be covered.

Keep in mind that these income brackets will change if you have more people in your household.

MoneyGeek Pick: Mountain Health CO-OP

Mountain Health CO-OP

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Low premium rates

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Very few claims denied

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Diverse plan options available

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Only offers PPO plans

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Montana for people with low income is Mountain Health CO-OP. The provider has cost-effective plans for those earning below 250% of the FPL. It offers seven Silver CSR plans with an average rate of $535 per month and an average MOOP of $7,305.

The company's denial rate is 5%, indicating that the company approves claims more frequently than competitors.

Plan Recommendations

Mountain Health CO-OP's top-rated plan offers lower out-of-pocket expenses for the same premium for people in different income brackets. Here are some of the lower overall out-of-pocket costs based on income levels:

  • 201–250% of the FPL: $454 per month; $7,200 MOOP
  • 151–200% of the FPL: $454 per month; $3,000 MOOP
  • Up to 150% of the FPL: $466 per month; $900 MOOP

Best Health Insurance for Young Adults in Montana

Mountain Health CO-OP offers the best health insurance in Montana for young adults, with a MoneyGeek score of 90 out of 100. Mountain Health CO-OP provides options that are cost-effective, have low out-of-pocket expenses and better-than-average denial rates. Only individuals under the age of 30 can purchase Catastrophic plans.

For this analysis, we evaluated three Bronze plans, 19 Expanded Bronze plans and two Catastrophic plans in Montana.

MoneyGeek Pick: Mountain Health CO-OP

Mountain Health CO-OP

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Low out-of-pocket maximum costs

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Few claims denied

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Multiple plan types available

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Plan rates could be more competitive

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

Mountain Health CO-OP is MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Montana for young adults. They have plans with an average rate of $341 and an average MOOP of $8,550. They have a denial rate of about 5%, which is lower than most of the competition.

They offer one Catastrophic plan and 11 Expanded Bronze plans. Mountain Health CO-OP only offers PPO plans, which tend to have more out-of-network coverage, giving you flexibility in choosing where to get medical care.

Plan Recommendations

MoneyGeek recommends the following plans for young adults:

  • ROCKY MOUNTAIN BRONZE HDHP: $272 for 18-year-olds and $305 for 26-year-olds; MOOP $7,500
  • Connect Bronze HDHP: $298 for 18-year-olds and $334 for 26-year-olds; MOOP $7,500
  • Plus Bronze HDHP: $308 for 18-year-olds and $346 for 26-year-olds; MOOP $7,500

Best Health Insurance by Plan Type in Montana

Health insurance companies have many kinds of plans. The best providers for all plan categories are:

  • POS: Blue Cross Blue Shield (MoneyGeek score: 100 out of 100)
  • PPO: Mountain Health CO-OP (MoneyGeek score: 95 out of 100)

MoneyGeek's recommendations are based on Silver plans, which are a good choice for people who only sometimes need to go to the doctor. The monthly cost and MOOP cost are both not too high.

Montana has two Silver POS plans and 19 Silver PPO plans available.

MoneyGeek Pick for POS: Blue Cross Blue Shield

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Montana for Silver POS plans is Blue Cross Blue Shield, with two options available. They offer an average plan rate of $474 and an average MOOP of $9,275. The provider denies fewer claims than average.

Silver POS plans allow you to choose both in-network and out-of-network providers, though seeing out-of-network providers costs more. These plans are good if you want the flexibility to pick any doctor and also want to save money with in-network coverage in certain situations. However, they are not as common as other plans.

Plan Recommendations

We suggest the following Silver POS plans from Blue Cross Blue Shield:

  • Blue Focus Silver POS℠ 706: $478 per month; MOOP $9,100
  • Blue Focus Silver POS℠ 206: $469 per month; MOOP $9,450

MoneyGeek Pick for PPO: Mountain Health CO-OP

Mountain Health CO-OP
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Montana for Silver PPO plans is Mountain Health CO-OP, which offers 13 Silver PPO plans.

Their average plan rate is $501 and an average MOOP of $7,601. The company has a denial rate of about 5%, which means it denies fewer claims than average.

Silver PPO plans give you more choice for doctors, and you don't need to get a referral to see a specialist. But, these plans can cost more than some other types of plans, like HMOs.

Plan Recommendations

We suggest the following Silver PPO plans from Mountain Health CO-OP:

  • ROCKY MOUNTAIN SILVER HDHP: $423 per month; MOOP $5,500
  • Plus Silver HDHP: $485 per month; MOOP $5,500

Best Short-Term Health Insurance in Montana

The best short-term health insurance in Montana is from National General Accident & Health. It received a MoneyGeek score of 95 out of 100.

Short-term health insurance typically lacks basic benefits included in plans that comply with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements. Because of this, we don’t recommend short-term health insurance for your long-term health needs.

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MoneyGeek Top Pick: National General Accident & Health
National General Accident & Health

National General Accident & Health offers policies that last from three months to three years. Aside from short-term health insurance, it also offers medical and dental insurance. Compared to other companies, National General Accident & Health has low out-of-pocket limits and co-insurance. These features help reduce the cost of your policy, although you might have a high deductible.

How to Find the Best Health Insurance for You in Montana

The best health insurance for you depends on your needs and budget. Those who receive constant medical care may have different health insurance preferences than those who are young and in relatively good health. When shopping for health insurance, consider how much you’re willing to pay, per month and out-of-pocket, for the coverage you need.

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    Understand when a health insurance plan will cover you

    Health plans often have lists of doctors and hospitals that are in-network. This means they have deals with the health plan. If you see a doctor on this list, you'll spend less. Out-of-network refers to doctors or hospitals not on the list, and visiting them costs more. Some plans let you use out-of-network places, but you pay extra; other plans only allow you go in-network.

    In Montana, there are 19 PPO plans. These let you get health care in- or out-of-network. The state also has two POS plans, in which your primary care physician refers you to other doctors in- or out-of-network.

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    Weigh the cost of premiums vs. the cost of care

    When you look for health insurance, find the best fit for your needs. Think about how much you pay every month and your MOOP for doctor visits and medicine.

    If you don't go to the doctor a lot, you might pick a plan with a lower monthly cost, but if you go often, it's better to choose a plan with a higher monthly cost but a lower MOOP.

    Mountain Health CO-OP offers a Silver plan with a low MOOP, called the ROCKY MOUNTAIN SILVER HDHP and it has a MOOP of $5,500. It costs $423 each month. In comparison with other Silver plans from Mountain Health CO-OP, this plan's monthly cost is less but it has the same MOOP. So, if this plan's doctors and services are good for you, it might be a very good choice.

Consider Montana Medicare or Medicaid if You’re Eligible

Adults in Montana who are aged 65 and older, or those who have a qualifying disability or illness, can qualify for Medicare. This is a federal government program designed to subsidize the cost of medical care for eligible individuals.

Medicare has three parts:

  • Part A (Hospital Insurance): This is free for most qualified adults. It includes inpatient hospital stays, hospice care and specific home health care.
  • Part B (Medical Insurance): Unlike Part A, this comes with a monthly premium. It covers outpatient care, doctors' services, preventive services and medical supplies.
  • Part D (Prescription Drug Coverage): This coverage includes prescription drugs and vaccines.

If you aren’t eligible for Medicare, you may be eligible for Medicaid, another federally-funded program designed to offset the cost of medical services. Take note that Montana is an expansion state for Medicaid. This allows eligible residents to qualify for the program based solely on income. To qualify, your income needs to be below 138% of the FPL.

FAQ About Health Insurance in Montana

Shopping for health insurance can leave you with several questions about cost and availability. We answered some of the most frequently asked questions to help you find the best policy for your needs.

What is the best health insurance provider in Montana for 2024?
What should you look for when shopping for the best health insurance plan in Montana?

About Mark Fitzpatrick


Mark Fitzpatrick headshot

Mark Fitzpatrick is a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer and MoneyGeek's Head of Insurance. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research and creating personalized content for every kind of buyer. He has been quoted in several insurance-related publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Fitzpatrick earned a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his knowledge of economics and insurance to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.