ACA plans available
16
Plan year 2026
CMS Marketplace county · plan year 2026
Des Moines, Iowa ACA premiums
County-level marketplace aggregates from CMS Public Use Files. Listed rates are age-27 premiums unless noted.
Data updated 2026-08-30
- $579
- Silver avg/mo
- 16
- ACA plans
- 2
- Issuers
- +22.6%
- YoY premium
Silver avg $579/mo
Des Moines, Iowa has 16 ACA marketplace plans from 2 issuers (plan year 2026). Average Silver premium is $579/mo; Bronze averages $376/mo and Gold $560/mo. Figures are CMS Marketplace Public Use File county aggregates for age-27 rates.
- County Silver corpus place #1472 of 2055 (highest = #1)
- Benchmark (2nd-lowest Silver) $440/mo
- Plan year 2026 CMS PUF
Silver rank is not plan-count rank
According to CMS Marketplace Public Use Files, Des Moines, Iowa ranks #1,472 of 2,055 counties by listed Silver average ($579/mo) and #1,957 of 2,055 by plan count (16 plans).
- #1,472 of 2,055
- Silver average among 2,055 counties
- $579
- Listed Silver average /mo
- #1,957 of 2,055
- Plan count among 2,055 counties
- 16
- Listed ACA plans in this county
Highest listed Silver average = #1. Most listed plans = #1. County of residence still governs which plans CMS files for that FIPS.
Des Moines, Iowa offers 16 ACA marketplace plans from 2 issuers for plan year 2026. Bronze plans start at $290/mo and Silver plans start at $433/mo (age 27 listed rates). Use the tables below to compare premiums, deductibles, and issuers across all metal tiers.
$579
Avg Silver Premium/mo
$440
Benchmark Premium/mo
+22.6%
Year-over-Year Change
$4,986
Avg Deductible
Lower-premium band
Des Moines in the lower-premium third
$579/mo Silver avg sits in the bottom third of tracked federal-marketplace counties. Corpus place #1472 of 2055 (highest Silver = #1).
Floor-to-ceiling Silver runs $433–$687/mo. Plan book is thin (16 plans) relative to other tracked counties. Network types split fairly evenly here between EPO and HMO, so comparing referral rules and out-of-network coverage across those two matters as much as comparing metal tiers.
Source: CMS Marketplace Public Use Files, plan year 2026. Informational only; confirm options at HealthCare.gov. How we place counties.
Premiums by Metal Level
Bronze-tier cards fold CMS Expanded Bronze into Bronze (same population as county_trends and methodology). Plan rows and the premium-vs-deductible chart below keep the CMS source label.
Bronze
6 plans$376/mo avg
$290 - $470
Silver
5 plans$579/mo avg
$433 - $687
Gold
5 plans$560/mo avg
$397 - $686
Benchmark premium & subsidies
The benchmark (second-lowest Silver) premium in Des Moines is $440/mo for a 27-year-old. This is the amount used to calculate your premium tax credit. If your expected contribution (based on income) is less than the benchmark, you receive a subsidy for the difference.
Issuers in market
2
Some competition
Benchmark Silver
$440 /mo
Sets your subsidy ceiling
Avg deductible
$4,986
Across all metal tiers
D
Marketplace Access Score
42/100
Des Moines
Based on benchmark premium, plan and issuer counts, and average deductible across 2,055 tracked ACA marketplace counties, not plan quality, network adequacy, or provider access.
Affordability B
$440/mo
Benchmark Silver premium; rank #1472 of 2055 tracked counties (cheapest first)
Plan Choice F
16 plans
ACA marketplace plan count; rank #1957 of 2055 tracked counties (most first)
Issuer Competition F
2 issuers
Distinct marketplace issuers; rank #1722 of 2055 tracked counties (most first)
Cost Predictability C-
$4,986
Average deductible across tracked plans; rank #1056 of 2055 tracked counties (lowest first)
Des Moines ACA plans by premium and deductible
Each marker is the Des Moines average for one metal tier, monthly premium (age 27) plotted against the average annual deductible, both computed directly from this county's plans. The classic ACA tradeoff is visible: lower-premium Bronze tiers carry the highest deductibles, while Gold and Platinum invert it.
Des Moines ACA marketplace plans: premium vs deductible
How Des Moines's Silver premium compares nationwide
2,055 federal-marketplace counties with a tracked Silver average, banded by monthly premium.
Des Moines vs 2,055 tracked counties
Average Silver premium (age 27), CMS Marketplace Public Use Files
$579 1472nd of 2055 higher than 583 of 2,055 counties
Counties, banded by average Silver premium
Each bar is a $1-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source CMS Marketplace Public Use Files · 2026-08-30
Issuers in Des Moines
| Issuer | Plans | Avg Premium (Age 27) |
|---|---|---|
| Medica | 9 | $598/mo |
| Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. | 7 | $367/mo |
All Plans in Des Moines
| Plan Name | Metal | Type | Premium (27) | Premium (40) | Deductible | OOP Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellmark Bronze Traditional HMO Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. | Expanded Bronze | HMO | $289.57 | $353.12 | $7,200 | $9,900 |
| Wellmark Bronze HDHP HMO HSA Qualified Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. | Expanded Bronze | HMO | $295.63 | $360.51 | $8,300 | $8,300 |
| Wellmark Standard Bronze HMO Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. | Expanded Bronze | HMO | $310.37 | $378.48 | $7,500 | $10,000 |
| Medica Insure Bronze Share Medica | Expanded Bronze | EPO | $427.08 | $520.81 | $8,000 | $10,600 |
| Medica Insure Bronze $0 Copay PCP Visits Medica | Expanded Bronze | EPO | $464.34 | $566.25 | $7,500 | $10,600 |
| Medica Insure Expanded Bronze Standard Medica | Expanded Bronze | EPO | $469.96 | $573.10 | $7,500 | $10,000 |
| Wellmark Silver Traditional HMO Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. | Silver | HMO | $433.44 | $528.57 | $5,000 | $7,500 |
| Wellmark Standard Silver HMO Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. | Silver | HMO | $439.79 | $536.31 | $6,000 | $8,900 |
| Medica Insure Silver $0 Copay PCP Visits Medica | Silver | EPO | $656.79 | $800.94 | $3,500 | $10,450 |
| Medica Insure Silver Share Medica | Silver | EPO | $676.51 | $824.98 | $3,525 | $8,850 |
| Medica Insure Silver Standard Medica | Silver | EPO | $687.10 | $837.90 | $6,000 | $8,900 |
| Wellmark Gold Traditional HMO Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. | Gold | HMO | $396.76 | $483.83 | $1,750 | $7,500 |
| Wellmark Standard Gold HMO Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. | Gold | HMO | $403.84 | $492.47 | $2,000 | $8,200 |
| Medica Insure Gold $0 Copay PCP Visits Medica | Gold | EPO | $646.39 | $788.25 | $1,500 | $8,800 |
| Medica Insure Gold Share Medica | Gold | EPO | $665.73 | $811.83 | $2,500 | $5,900 |
| Medica Insure Gold Standard Medica | Gold | EPO | $685.89 | $836.42 | $2,000 | $8,200 |
Silver Premium Trend (2022-2026)
| Year | Avg Premium | Min | Max | Plans | Issuers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $449/mo | $414 | $467 | 3 | 2 |
| 2023 | $457/mo | $395 | $551 | 4 | 2 |
| 2024 | $489/mo | $361 | $571 | 6 | 2 |
| 2025 | $453/mo | $374 | $509 | 5 | 2 |
| 2026 | $579/mo | $433 | $687 | 5 | 2 |
What this means for Des Moines
Use Des Moines's own numbers here, not a national average, before you enroll.
- $579/mo Silver average sits in the bottom third of tracked counties nationally -- a subsidized Silver plan can already beat Bronze on total cost here. See how subsidies work
- 16 plans from 2 issuers puts Des Moines in the thinnest third of tracked counties -- check the rest of Iowa for more options. All of Iowa
Averages and tercile bands are CMS Marketplace Public Use File aggregates for this county; your actual premium depends on your age, household income, and chosen plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Des Moines's Silver premium in the lower band?
Des Moines ranks #1472 of 2055 tracked federal-marketplace counties by average Silver premium (highest = #1; CMS PUF sort). Local Silver avg is $579/mo. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
Why does Des Moines carry a thin ACA plan book?
Des Moines lists 16 marketplace plans from 2 issuers - a bottom-third inventory vs other tracked counties (plan year 2026).
What is the cheapest health insurance plan in Des Moines?
The lowest-premium plan in Des Moines starts at $290/mo (Bronze tier, age 27). Silver plans start at $433/mo. Actual premiums vary by age and may be reduced by premium tax credits.
What is the benchmark premium for Des Moines?
The benchmark (second-lowest Silver) premium in Des Moines is $440/mo for a 27-year-old. This amount determines how much premium tax credit subsidy you may be eligible for.
Why did Des Moines premiums rise +22.6% year-over-year?
The average age-27 premium in Des Moines changed by +22.6% between plan years 2025 and 2026, measured across Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Catastrophic plans. Premium trends are tracked from 2022 to 2026.
How limited is issuer competition in Des Moines?
Only 2 issuers sell marketplace plans in Des Moines (Medica and Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc.). Narrow competition often correlates with higher benchmark premiums.
Which insurance companies offer plans in Des Moines?
There are 2 insurance issuers offering ACA marketplace plans in Des Moines, including Medica, Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc.. Competition among issuers affects plan variety and pricing. More issuers generally mean more choices and potentially lower premiums.
Disclaimer
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute insurance or financial advice. Premiums shown are for a 27-year-old non-tobacco user unless otherwise noted. Your actual premium depends on age, location, tobacco use, and subsidy eligibility. Visit HealthCare.gov for official enrollment. Source: CMS Marketplace PUF, PY2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Counties With a Similar Benchmark Premium
The closest counties nationwide to Des Moines, IA's $440/mo benchmark premium.
One of 2,054 counties nationwide with a tracked benchmark premium, 5 are shown here.
Data sources
Data sourced from the CMS Health Insurance Marketplace Public Use Files. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainHealthPlan
PlainHealthPlan is rendered directly from CMS Health Insurance Marketplace Public Use Files, no number is typed in by an editor. Plan and premium figures for this county come from the live CMS Marketplace PUF aggregates. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.