With a score of 90 out of 100, Kaiser Permanente offers the best health insurance in Washington, D.C., with the greatest balance of affordability, customer service and coverage. However, if the company is unavailable in your area, CareFirst also offers some of the top coverage options in the state.
Best Health Insurance in Washington, D.C.
Updated: June 20, 2025
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Key Takeaways
Overall, Kaiser Permanente offers the best and most balanced health insurance coverage in the district.
CareFirst provides the best cheap health insurance in Washington, D.C., with Silver-tier plans averaging $582 monthly, where available.
To find the best health insurance in Washington, D.C., educate yourself on companies available to you, decide coverage needs beforehand and compare plan quotes from several companies.
Best Health Insurance Companies in District of Columbia
| Kaiser Permanente | 90 | KP DC Silver Virtual Forward 3500 Ded |
| CareFirst | 60 | BlueChoice HMO Essential Silver $4850 |
| CareFirst | 60 | BluePreferred PPO Essential Silver $4850 |
*Our picks are the best companies for 40-year-olds looking for Silver-tier plans.
Best Health Insurance in Washington, D.C., by Category
While we've given our top picks overall, the best company for you may differ depending on your profile and preferred plan type. So below, we've broken down the top picks for common categories to make more personalized recommendations.
| Young Adults | Kaiser Permanente |
| Seniors | Kaiser Permanente |
| PPO | CareFirst |
| HMO | Kaiser Permanente |
Best Washington, D.C., Health Insurance Reviews
So that you can learn about our recommendations, we've broken down our top picks overall, for affordability and customer service reputation.
Kaiser Permanente: Best Overall
pros
Integrated health care delivery model
Best overall for most in Washington, D.C.
cons
Limited provider choice and network restrictions
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Overall, Kaiser Permanente was our pick for the best health insurance in Washington, D.C., due to its perfect 5-star rating from HealthCare.gov, excellent 0% claim denial rate and comprehensive integrated care model that combines insurance with its own medical facilities and providers. Although it is geographically limited in the Washington, D.C., area, it also offers some of the best prices.
CareFirst: Best Cheap Overall
pros
Cheapest rates in Washington, D.C., for most plan tiers
Strong regional presence and local market knowledge
cons
Inconsistent customer service experiences
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
While CareFirst isn't our top overall pick it does offer the most affordable Bronze plans in Washington, D.C., making it ideal for young and healthy consumers seeking budget-friendly coverage. CareFirst sells the most affordable Bronze plans in the district and Silver plans starting at $582 per month. That makes CareFirst a good option if you're young and healthy and looking for a good deal.
How to Find the Best Health Insurance for You in Washington, D.C.
The following recommendations will ensure that buying health insurance that is ideal for you is easy.
Decide on your coverage needs before buying
When looking for the best health insurance, weigh the monthly cost against the maximum out-of-pocket plan limits. If you go to the doctor often, a plan with a higher monthly fee but lower MOOP can save you money. But you may not need as much coverage if you're not high risk. Also, compare health insurance plan types to ensure how flexible a provider will be in covering you.
Compare company offerings and reputations
Before comparing rates, understand what plans the top companies in your area offer and their terms. Also, look into company reputations through forums and industry sources like J.D. Power to ensure a smooth buying and coverage claims process.
Shop around
Comparing multiple plans from many providers ensures you get the best possible deal. We found that rates can start as low as $582 monthly in Washington, D.C., depending on your personal profile and chosen plan type. Open Enrollment lasts from November 1 to January 15, but you may also qualify for Special Enrollment if you've lost your job, divorced or had a child.
Take advantage of federal programs and subsidies
Those with low income, have a qualifying disability or illness, or are 65 years old or older can receive subsidies or be eligible for Medicare plans. In some cases, depending on your details, you can have up to 100% of your premiums covered if you're low-income or have significant savings if you're eligible for Medicare. MoneyGeek also provides information for finding the top Medicare Supplement and best Medicare Advantage plans in Washington, D.C., if you want to learn more.
Best Health Insurance in Washington, D.C.: Bottom Line
Overall, our top picks for Washington, D.C., health insurance are Kaiser Permanente and CareFirst. However, the best possible health insurance plan for you will vary widely depending on your personal details and coverage needs. Compare as many plans and companies as possible to get the right fit.
Best District of Washington, D.C., Health Insurance: FAQ
Below we've answered frequently asked questions about the best health insurance in the district:
What is the best health insurance provider in Washington, D.C., for 2025?
Kaiser Permanente provides the best health insurance in the district for 2025. However, your best choice will depend on your unique circumstances and needs and if coverage is available in your county.
What should you look for when shopping for the best health insurance plan in Washington, D.C.?
When finding the best health insurance plan, compare both 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.
How We Chose the Best Health Insurance in District of Columbia
To rank health care insurance providers in Washington, D.C., 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 (30%): 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 (30%): How often a provider denies claims. The provider with the lowest claims denial rate scores the highest.
- Rate score (20%): How much the provider's monthly plans cost. The cheapest provider, on average, gets the highest score.
- Plan 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 categories "Best Cheap Health Insurance in Washington, D.C." and "Best Health Insurance in Washington, D.C., for Low Income," we increased the rate score weighting to 50%. We decreased every other category by 10%.
- For the category "Best Health Insurance by Plan Type in Washington, D.C.," we decreased the plan 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 Washington, D.C., for consumers aged 18, 26, 40, 50 and 60. Unless otherwise noted, all monthly premiums are for a 40-year-old buyer, such as the category for young adults. Plans analyzed in each section include the relevant cited metal tiers, which include Catastrophic, Bronze, Expanded Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
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!
Passionate about economics and insurance, he aims to promote transparency in financial topics and empower others to make confident money decisions.