Cheapest New Hampshire Health Insurance (2023 Plans)

New Hampshire has health insurance plans across Catastrophic, Bronze, Expanded Bronze, Silver and Gold tiers. Each of these tiers has unique deductibles, premiums and out-of-pocket maximums. On average, Anthem (BCBS) has the lowest rates across all tiers in New Hampshire.

MoneyGeek also found the best health insurance in New Hampshire by analyzing providers and plans balance cost and service.

Among Silver plans, Anthem’s Silver Pathway X Enhanced HMO 5800/40% Standard is the cheapest health insurance in New Hampshire.

Health insurance plans in tiers below Silver are often characterized by lower premiums and higher maximum out-of-pocket costs. Plans that fall in a higher metal tier have higher monthly expenses with lower out-of-pocket costs.

Here are the cheapest plans for all metal tiers and their cost per month:

• Catastrophic: Anthem Catastrophic Pathway X Enhanced HMO 9100/0% from Anthem (BCBS): $201 per month
• Bronze: Anthem Bronze Pathway X Enhanced HMO 9100/0% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select Drugs) Standard from Anthem (BCBS): $266 per month
• Expanded Bronze: Anthem Bronze Pathway X Enhanced HMO 35% for HSA from Anthem (BCBS): $275 per month
• Silver: Anthem Silver Pathway X Enhanced HMO 5800/40% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select Drugs) Standard from Anthem (BCBS): $317 per month
• Gold: Anthem Gold Pathway X Enhanced HMO 800/40% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $) Select Drugs) from Anthem (BCBS): $359 per month

Going for an average of $317 per month, Anthem Silver Pathway X Enhanced HMO 5800/40% Standard is the cheapest Silver health insurance plan in New Hampshire.

You can buy a Silver plan if you need an option that balances reasonable costs with quality coverage. Cost-sharing reductions may further reduce your plan cost if you have a qualifying income level.

The three cheapest Silver plans are all from Anthem (BCBS):

• Anthem Silver Pathway X Enhanced HMO 5800/40% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select Drugs) Standard: $317 per month
• Anthem Silver Pathway X Enhanced HMO 20% for HSA: $323 per month
• Anthem Silver Pathway X Enhanced HMO 5900/30% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select Drugs): $323 per month

MoneyGeek focuses on HMO recommendations in this section as they are the most accessible in New Hampshire. Note, however, that they aren't necessarily the cheapest plans in the state.

The cheapest Gold health insurance plan in New Hampshire, based on our findings, is Anthem Gold Pathway X Enhanced HMO 800/40% from Anthem (BCBS). The plan’s average cost is $359 per month.

You will pay less out of pocket for a Gold plan than other less valuable tier plans, but your premiums will likely be higher. Gold health insurance plans work best if you anticipate significant health care needs.

The three most affordable Gold plans to consider are:

• Anthem Gold Pathway X Enhanced HMO 800/40% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select Drugs) from Anthem (BCBS): $359 per month
• Anthem Gold Pathway X Enhanced HMO 2000/25% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select Drugs) Standard from Anthem (BCBS): $360 per month
• Anthem Gold Pathway X Enhanced HMO 1500/20% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select Drugs) from Anthem (BCBS): $365 per month

In New Hampshire, the cheapest Bronze plan, costing about $266 per month, is Anthem Bronze Pathway X Enhanced HMO 9100/0% Standard from Anthem (BCBS).

The top cheap Bronze plans in the state are:

• Anthem Bronze Pathway X Enhanced HMO 9100/0% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select Drugs) Standard from Anthem (BCBS): $266 per month
• Anthem Bronze Pathway X Enhanced HMO 6500/40% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select Drugs) from Anthem (BCBS): $272 per month
• NH Local HMO Bronze 9100 Standard from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care of NE: $338 per month

With a plan in the Bronze tier, you will pay less per month than with other plans, but your out-of-pocket maximums will be higher. You can consider getting a plan from this tier if your health care needs are infrequent.

For the Expanded Bronze tier, the cheapest health insurance plan in New Hampshire is Anthem Bronze Pathway X Enhanced HMO 35% for HSA sold by Anthem (BCBS). You will pay about $275 per month for this policy.

These plans are quite similar to Bronze plans, with the exception that Expanded Bronze plans cover at least one significant health care service before the deductible kicks in.

The top cheap plans for this tier are:

• Anthem Bronze Pathway X Enhanced HMO 35% for HSA from Anthem (BCBS): $275 per month
• Anthem Bronze Pathway X Enhanced HMO 6000/20% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select Drugs) from Anthem (BCBS): $276 per month
• Anthem Bronze Pathway X Enhanced HMO 5500/25% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select Drugs) from Anthem (BCBS): $278 per month

According to MoneyGeek’s findings, Anthem Catastrophic Pathway X Enhanced HMO 9100/0% is the lowest-priced Catastrophic plan in New Hampshire, costing a 26-year-old buyer about $161 per month. This is also the only Catastrophic plan in our data for this state.

If you are younger than 30 or have an affordability or hardship exemption, you may consider Catastrophic plans for low premiums.

With an income that’s below 250% of the Federal Poverty Line (FPL), you may receive a discount on your copayments, deductibles and co-insurance through cost-sharing reductions or extra savings. You must enroll for a plan in the Silver tier to get this discount.

In New Hampshire, the cheapest Silver plan with CSR is Anthem Silver Pathway X Enhanced HMO 5800/40% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select Drugs) Standard from Anthem (BCBS). The individual rate for this plan is $317 per month, and the MOOP depends on your income level, categorized as follows:

• Income lower than $20,385 per year: Anthem Silver Pathway X Enhanced HMO 5800/40% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select drugs) Standard ($1,700 MOOP)
• Income from $28,386 to $27,180 per year: Anthem Silver Pathway X Enhanced HMO 5800/40% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select drugs) Standard ($3,000 MOOP)
• Income from $27,181 to $47,565 per year: Anthem Silver Pathway X Enhanced HMO 5800/40% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select drugs) Standard ($7,200 MOOP)

Note that these are costs for individual buyers.

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans are the most common type in New Hampshire, although the exchange also has other plan types, including Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO) and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans.

For buyers interested in EPO and PPO plans in New Hampshire, the most affordable options are:

• EPO: Ambetter Virtual Access Silver - Virtual PCP selection required from Ambetter: $346 per month
• PPO: Anthem Silver Preferred Blue PPO 4000/20%/7250 w/HSA from Anthem (BCBS): $531 per month

The best plan type will depend on your health care and provider needs. HMO plans are more popular but limit your network of providers. EPO and PPO plans may cost more but offer wider coverage and higher flexibility on the provider network.

Health insurance plans in New Hampshire may not be widely available, and the lowest premium can vary across counties, depending on the available plan options and the insurer.

Hillsborough is the most populous county in the state, and Coos is the least populated. Comparing the most affordable Silver plans across the two counties results in the same average premiums:

• Hillsborough County: Anthem Silver Pathway X Enhanced HMO 5800/40% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select Drugs) Standard from Anthem (BCBS): $317 per month
• Coos County: Anthem Silver Pathway X Enhanced HMO 5800/40% ($0 Preferred Virtual Care + $0 Select Drugs) Standard from Anthem (BCBS): $317 per month

You can use the table below to compare Silver plans across multiple counties.

Private health insurance premiums also differ based on the metal tier.

In New Hampshire, the average costs for a 40-year-old buyer in each tier are:

• Catastrophic: $201
• Bronze: $283
• Expanded Bronze: $1,217
• Silver: $1,370
• Gold: $1,590

Premiums may not be the same for buyers of different ages. Plans in the Silver tier, for instance, cost about $978 for teens, $1,097 for young adults and $2,909 for seniors. Actual premiums will vary based on various factors, including the insurer you choose.

MoneyGeek determined the cheapest private health insurance in New Hampshire using data obtained from private providers. Interested buyers should visit the health insurance exchange during the open enrollment period to select a plan that suits their preferences in terms of cost, plan type and coverage level.

Government-managed health insurance programs are also available for eligible New Hampshire residents, including Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid is free of charge to help low-income individuals save on medical costs. Medicaid is also available at lower costs than private insurance and is intended for low-income children, pregnant women, seniors and people with qualifying disabilities.

Private health insurance plans are not available for enrollment throughout the year. Interested buyers must note the open enrollment period from November 1 to January 15.

To get coverage by January 1, you should enroll for a plan by December 15, after which you will need to wait until February 1 to get covered.

New Hampshire has private health insurance across several metal tiers. These are Catastrophic, Bronze, Expanded Bronze, Silver and Gold.

Each plan tier features a unique premium amount, out-of-pocket maximum and a set of medical services covered.

• Catastrophic: These have a very low monthly cost and are meant for buyers under 30 years or those with a hardship or affordability exemption. Owing to the low premium, the plans have high out-of-pocket costs.
• Bronze: Bronze is a less valuable metal, and plans in this tier have lower monthly costs than other tiers. However, Bronze plans have high MOOPs and deductibles. They are suitable for young buyers and those without serious health conditions.
• Expanded Bronze: These are intermediaries between Bronze and Silver plans. They cover at least one major medical service before the deductible kicks in and cost a bit more than standard Bronze plans.
• Silver: Health insurance plans in this tier have average premiums and MOOPs. These are the only plans with cost-sharing reductions for low-income buyers.
• Gold: The most expensive premiums in New Hampshire, on average, are for Gold plans. Gold plans also feature lower deductibles than other plans in lower metal tiers. Gold plans are good for individuals that need frequent health care services and those who can meet the high monthly cost.

Medicaid is a government program in New Hampshire available to individuals and families with very low income, plus those who are pregnant or have a disability. No payment is required for Medicaid. The plan covers the cost of health care services, including preventive care for children, pregnant women and other eligible applicants.

Another federal assistance program available in New Hampshire is Medicare. Although it’s not completely free, eligible residents pay very little for coverage compared to private health insurance. To qualify, you must be 65 years and above or have a qualifying medical condition.

The three components of Medicare are:

• Part A: This acts as hospital insurance and pays for any expenses associated with hospital stays, hospice and nursing facility care and related services.
• Part B: The medical insurance component covers the cost of medication, outpatient services, preventive care and medications.
• Part D: Covers the cost of prescription drugs, shots and vaccinations.

We also reviewed the best Medicare Advantage plans in New Hampshire and the best Medicare Supplement plans in New Hampshire.

As you shop for cheap health insurance plans in New Hampshire, your main focus is likely to be the cost and availability of the plans. We answered a couple of commonly asked questions to help you get started.