Montana Health Insurance Rates for 2027: What Is Changing
Average individual-market change
22.6% to 23.3%
Status
Final rates
Small-group average change
18%
Insurers filing
2
2027 out-of-pocket max
$12,000 / $24,000
Montana has one of the largest finalized 2027 increases among my states: about 23 percent in the individual market, with small-group plans up about 18 percent. Montana's market is also among the smallest, with just two insurers filing individual plans.
Montanans enroll through HealthCare.gov. With two insurers, plan choice is narrow, and in many counties the decision comes down to two networks. Long driving distances to hospitals in Billings, Missoula, Bozeman and Great Falls make network breadth especially important. Self-employed ranchers, guides and contractors above the subsidy line pay the full increase and should compare every option carefully. Small employers in Montana should also budget for group renewals that are rising almost as fast as individual plans.
Private health insurance in Montana
Most people I help in Montana end up on a private plan, not a Marketplace plan. Private, medically underwritten health insurance is priced on your age, zip code and health instead of your income, so a strong year never raises your premium and there is no tax credit to pay back in April.
Why people leave the Marketplace
- Premiums keep climbing. Montana Marketplace premiums are rising 22.6% to 23.3% on average for 2027.
- The subsidy cliff. Above 400 percent of the poverty level ($63,840 for one person, $132,000 for a family of four) you pay full price.
- Surprise tax bills. Underestimate your income and you repay the tax credit in April.
- Narrow networks. Many plans are local HMOs or EPOs that need referrals and cover little outside the area.
- High out-of-pocket costs. 2027 out-of-pocket maximums reach $12,000 per person and $24,000 per family.
- One window a year. Outside open enrollment you need a qualifying life event to enroll or switch.
What a private plan does differently
- Start any month. If approved, coverage can begin the first of next month, with no wait for open enrollment.
- Networks that travel. Many private plans use national PPO networks, which can give you in-network doctors outside Montana too. Networks vary by plan.
- Can cost less than full-price Marketplace plans for some healthy applicants above the subsidy line.
- Accident coverage the Marketplace does not offer. A private plan can be paired with accident coverage, a separate policy. What it includes varies by plan.
- Approval is based on health. You answer health questions, and acceptance is not guaranteed.
With a significant health condition, or income low enough for a large tax credit, a Marketplace plan can be the better fit, and I will tell you if it is. Either way you see both side by side.
Private plans are not ACA Marketplace plans. Benefits, exclusions and pre-existing condition rules differ by plan and by state, so review the plan details before you enroll.
Get a private plan quoteLearn more: coverage not based on income · how underwriting works · private vs Obamacare · PPO plans for individuals · switching from the Marketplace
Who feels the Montana increase
If your household gets a premium tax credit, your payment for the benchmark silver plan is capped as a share of income, so most of a rate increase is absorbed by a larger credit. If your household earns more than 400 percent of the poverty level for 2027, $63,840 for one person or $132,000 for a family of four, there is no credit and you pay the full 22.6% to 23.3% increase. The subsidy cliff guide explains the line. Healthy and above that line? Compare private health insurance in Montana, priced on age, ZIP and health instead of income, if approved.
Where and when to enroll in Montana
Montana residents enroll through HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027; choose by December 15 for coverage starting January 1. Private, medically underwritten plans are not tied to open enrollment and can start the first of any month if you are approved.
Montana 2027 rate questions
How much are Montana premiums increasing for 2027?
About 23 percent on average for the individual market and about 18 percent for small-group plans, based on final rates.
How many insurers sell Montana Marketplace plans?
Two insurers filed individual-market plans for 2027.
Why does network matter so much in Montana?
Hospitals can be far apart, so knowing which hospitals and specialists each plan covers matters more than in denser states.
What is the 2027 out-of-pocket maximum for Montana Marketplace plans?
The federal limit for 2027 is $12,000 for one person and $24,000 for a family, up from $10,600 and $21,200 in 2026. It applies to every ACA-compliant plan in Montana, and individual plans can set a lower limit.
Sources: rate-filing trackers at healthinsurance.org (rechecked November 11, 2026) and ACASignups.net. Averages are across insurers; your own renewal depends on your plan, county and age. More on health insurance in Montana. Esta página en español.
Other states
Written by Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance agent, NPN 21032307. Last updated November 11, 2026.