ACA plans available
18
Plan year 2026
CMS Marketplace county · plan year 2026
Iowa, Wisconsin ACA premiums
County-level marketplace aggregates from CMS Public Use Files. Listed rates are age-27 premiums unless noted.
Data updated 2026-08-30
- $602
- Silver avg/mo
- 18
- ACA plans
- 2
- Issuers
- +19.0%
- YoY premium
Silver avg $602/mo
Iowa, Wisconsin has 18 ACA marketplace plans from 2 issuers (plan year 2026). Average Silver premium is $602/mo; Bronze averages $444/mo and Gold $635/mo. Figures are CMS Marketplace Public Use File county aggregates for age-27 rates.
- County Silver corpus place #1315 of 2055 (highest = #1)
- Benchmark (2nd-lowest Silver) $539/mo
- Plan year 2026 CMS PUF
Silver rank is not plan-count rank
According to CMS Marketplace Public Use Files, Iowa, Wisconsin ranks #1,315 of 2,055 counties by listed Silver average ($602/mo) and #1,940 of 2,055 by plan count (18 plans).
- #1,315 of 2,055
- Silver average among 2,055 counties
- $602
- Listed Silver average /mo
- #1,940 of 2,055
- Plan count among 2,055 counties
- 18
- 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.
Iowa, Wisconsin offers 18 ACA marketplace plans from 2 issuers for plan year 2026. Bronze plans start at $332/mo and Silver plans start at $528/mo (age 27 listed rates). Use the tables below to compare premiums, deductibles, and issuers across all metal tiers.
$602
Avg Silver Premium/mo
$539
Benchmark Premium/mo
+19.0%
Year-over-Year Change
$4,904
Avg Deductible
Thin plan inventory
Iowa marketplace standing
18 plans: bottom-third inventory vs other tracked counties. Corpus place #1315 of 2055 (highest Silver = #1).
Mid-pack Silver avg $602/mo with 18 plans . YoY average shift: +19.0%. Network types split fairly evenly here between HMO and POS, 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
7 plans$444/mo avg
$332 - $529
Silver
6 plans$602/mo avg
$528 - $665
Gold
5 plans$635/mo avg
$532 - $764
Benchmark premium & subsidies
The benchmark (second-lowest Silver) premium in Iowa is $539/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
$539 /mo
Sets your subsidy ceiling
Avg deductible
$4,904
Across all metal tiers
D
Marketplace Access Score
42/100
Iowa
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 C+
$539/mo
Benchmark Silver premium; rank #1315 of 2055 tracked counties (cheapest first)
Plan Choice F
18 plans
ACA marketplace plan count; rank #1940 of 2055 tracked counties (most first)
Issuer Competition F
2 issuers
Distinct marketplace issuers; rank #1787 of 2055 tracked counties (most first)
Cost Predictability C+
$4,904
Average deductible across tracked plans; rank #1329 of 2055 tracked counties (lowest first)
Iowa ACA plans by premium and deductible
Each marker is the Iowa 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.
Iowa ACA marketplace plans: premium vs deductible
How Iowa's Silver premium compares nationwide
2,055 federal-marketplace counties with a tracked Silver average, banded by monthly premium.
Iowa vs 2,055 tracked counties
Average Silver premium (age 27), CMS Marketplace Public Use Files
$602 1315th of 2055 higher than 739 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 Iowa
| Issuer | Plans | Avg Premium (Age 27) |
|---|---|---|
| Dean Health Plan | 9 | $484/mo |
| Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | 9 | $616/mo |
All Plans in Iowa
| Plan Name | Metal | Type | Premium (27) | Premium (40) | Deductible | OOP Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dean Bronze Share Dean Health Plan | Expanded Bronze | HMO | $332.15 | $405.05 | $8,000 | $10,600 |
| Dean Bronze $0 Copay PCP Visits Dean Health Plan | Expanded Bronze | HMO | $365.17 | $445.31 | $7,500 | $10,600 |
| Dean Expanded Bronze Standard Dean Health Plan | Expanded Bronze | HMO | $390.72 | $476.48 | $7,500 | $10,000 |
| Anthem Bronze Preferred/Broad 5000 (3 Free PCP Visits + $0 Select Drugs + Incentives) Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | Expanded Bronze | POS | $493.26 | $601.52 | $5,000 | $10,600 |
| Anthem Bronze Preferred/Broad HSA (+ Incentives) Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | Expanded Bronze | POS | $498.74 | $608.20 | $8,450 | $8,450 |
| Anthem Bronze Preferred/Broad Standard ($0 Virtual PCP + $0 Select Drugs + Incentives) Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | Expanded Bronze | POS | $499.54 | $609.17 | $7,500 | $10,000 |
| Anthem Heart Healthy Bronze Preferred/Broad 0 Med Ded ($0 Virtual PCP+$0 Select Drugs+Incentives) Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | Expanded Bronze | POS | $528.88 | $644.96 | $0 | $10,600 |
| Dean Silver $0 Copay PCP Visits Dean Health Plan | Silver | HMO | $527.63 | $643.43 | $3,500 | $10,450 |
| Dean Silver Share Dean Health Plan | Silver | HMO | $539.47 | $657.86 | $3,525 | $8,850 |
| Dean Silver Standard Dean Health Plan | Silver | HMO | $551.98 | $673.13 | $6,000 | $8,900 |
| Anthem Silver Preferred/Broad Standard ($0 Virtual PCP + $0 Select Drugs + Incentives) Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | Silver | POS | $664.57 | $810.42 | $6,000 | $8,900 |
| Anthem Silver Preferred/Broad 4000 ($0 PCP Visits + $0 Select Drugs + Incentives) Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | Silver | POS | $664.70 | $810.58 | $4,000 | $9,400 |
| Anthem Silver Preferred/Broad 5500 ($0 Virtual PCP + $0 Select Drugs + Incentives) Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | Silver | POS | $665.08 | $811.04 | $5,500 | $9,200 |
| Dean Gold Share Dean Health Plan | Gold | HMO | $532.03 | $648.79 | $2,500 | $5,900 |
| Dean Gold Standard Dean Health Plan | Gold | HMO | $551.63 | $672.69 | $2,000 | $8,200 |
| Dean Gold HSA Dean Health Plan | Gold | HMO | $564.04 | $687.83 | $3,400 | $4,400 |
| Anthem Gold Preferred/Broad 1000 ($0 Virtual PCP + $0 Select Drugs + Incentives) Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | Gold | POS | $763.46 | $931.01 | $1,000 | $7,200 |
| Anthem Gold Preferred/Broad Standard ($0 Virtual PCP + $0 Select Drugs + Incentives) Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | Gold | POS | $763.51 | $931.07 | $2,000 | $8,200 |
Silver Premium Trend (2022-2026)
| Year | Avg Premium | Min | Max | Plans | Issuers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $415/mo | $357 | $486 | 16 | 3 |
| 2023 | $482/mo | $355 | $580 | 30 | 4 |
| 2024 | $489/mo | $421 | $559 | 20 | 4 |
| 2025 | $513/mo | $461 | $570 | 15 | 4 |
| 2026 | $602/mo | $528 | $665 | 6 | 2 |
What this means for Iowa
Use Iowa's own numbers here, not a national average, before you enroll.
- $602/mo Silver average is mid-pack nationally -- estimate your own subsidy before comparing tiers. Estimate your subsidy
- 18 plans from 2 issuers puts Iowa in the thinnest third of tracked counties -- check the rest of Wisconsin for more options. All of Wisconsin
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
Where does Iowa sit on Silver premiums vs other counties?
Iowa ranks #1315 of 2055 tracked federal-marketplace counties by average Silver premium (highest = #1; CMS PUF sort). Local Silver avg is $602/mo. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
Why does Iowa carry a thin ACA plan book?
Iowa lists 18 marketplace plans from 2 issuers - a bottom-third inventory vs other tracked counties (plan year 2026).
What is the cheapest health insurance plan in Iowa?
The lowest-premium plan in Iowa starts at $332/mo (Bronze tier, age 27). Silver plans start at $528/mo. Actual premiums vary by age and may be reduced by premium tax credits.
What is the benchmark premium for Iowa?
The benchmark (second-lowest Silver) premium in Iowa is $539/mo for a 27-year-old. This amount determines how much premium tax credit subsidy you may be eligible for.
Why did Iowa premiums rise +19.0% year-over-year?
The average age-27 premium in Iowa changed by +19.0% 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 Iowa?
Only 2 issuers sell marketplace plans in Iowa (Dean Health Plan and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield). Narrow competition often correlates with higher benchmark premiums.
Which insurance companies offer plans in Iowa?
There are 2 insurance issuers offering ACA marketplace plans in Iowa, including Dean Health Plan, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. 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 Iowa, WI's $539/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.