What is the best government health insurance

MoneyGeek analyzed quality data from the NCQA to identify the best private health plans available on the Marketplace. We focused on health insurance companies that are widely available and broke them out by type of plan.

Kaiser Permanente takes MoneyGeek's top spot for the highest-rated health insurance provider in the country, with an overall score of 4.28 out of 5. Kaiser Permanente is a national leader in managed care and consistently receives high marks for quality and customer satisfaction.

The overall runner-up is Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS). Rather than a single entity, BCBS plans are provided by separate companies affiliated with the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA). Each BCBS insurer operates independently, so their quality and costs vary.

Choosing the best health insurance plan is personal, based on your individual needs and priorities. Think about the type of plan that fits you best. Before you choose, check quality and customer satisfaction scores, which can vary by plan or location, even within the same company.

Best Marketplace Health Insurance Company: Kaiser Permanente

American health insurance is like a patchwork quilt; different components combine to create the whole. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, half of us get health insurance through a job, while about one-third are covered by government insurance such as Medicaid or Medicare, which offers comprehensive but affordable plans like Medicare Advantage. These are often the best, most affordable options.

If you don’t have employer- or government-sponsored health insurance, you can shop for yourself on the Health Insurance Marketplace. With government subsidies, which expanded under the American Rescue Act Plan in early 2021, many people wind up paying very low premiums.

MoneyGeek’s analysis shows that Kaiser Permanente ranks at the top of the list for the best health insurance providers in the U.S.

pros

Kaiser Permanente consistently earns high marks for quality, an important factor in health plan performance

Average monthly premiums for Kaiser Permanente Silver plans on the Marketplace are the lowest among top-rated national health insurance carriers

cons

Kaiser Permanente plans are only available in nine states

Across Marketplace insurance providers, Kaiser Permanente took the top spot, with an overall score of 4.28 out of 5. It scores best on clinical measures, with the best prevention (4.33) and treatment (3.94) scores of any national insurer. Kaiser’s lowest-performing category is consumer experience, where it earned just 2.33 points and ranked sixth overall.

For Silver plans sold on the Marketplace, Kaiser Permanente’s average premium was $427.47 per month, the lowest of any of the top-rated national plans.

Unlike many national health insurers, Kaiser Permanente is a nonprofit plan that also provides health care services at its own facilities through its own employed health care providers.

Best Company Runner-Up: Blue Cross Blue Shield

With an overall score of 3.86 out of 5, the runner-up for the best health insurance company in 2022 was Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS). Though specific prices and quality ratings vary across plans, BCBS coverage tends to be high quality and high value.

pros

BCBS plans tend to be highly rated, with particularly good scores on consumer satisfaction

Plans affiliated with the BCBS Association are available across the country, so almost anywhere you live, you’re likely to have a BCBS option

cons

On average, BCBS plans tend to be more expensive than many other top-rated health insurance plans

Blue Cross Blue Shield is not a single health insurer but a group of 36 independent companies that are members of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA). One in three Americans is insured by a BCBS plan. BCBS plans operate in 37 states, though plans affiliated with BCBSA are available in every state, even if their names do not include BCBS.

Overall, BCBS earned a score of 3.86 out of 5. It scored reasonably well on all the components that feed into that score, including prevention and treatment. With a score of 3.52, it took the top spot for patient experience.

The average premium of BCBS Silver plans on the Marketplace is $541.32, making it one of the most expensive among top-rated insurers.

Best Company for HMO Plans: Kaiser Permanente

Different types of health insurance plans are designed to meet different needs. Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans are the most common plan available on the Marketplace. HMOs typically restrict members to using a set network of doctors and other health care providers. Members need to get a referral from their primary care provider to see specialists. These plans often have lower monthly premiums in exchange for those restrictions.

HMOs are best for people who need or want to pay the lowest possible premiums and don’t mind seeing the providers preferred by the plan. These plans may also be a good option for people whose providers are already in that preferred network.

MoneyGeek’s analysis showed that Kaiser Permanente has the highest-rated HMO plans on the Marketplace.

Dr. Mauricio Codesso

Assistant Teaching Professor at Northeastern University

Mengying He

Assistant Professor of Healthcare Management at California State University, Los Angeles

Patrick Bernet

Associate Professor at Florida Atlantic University

Malcolm Robinson

Professor of Economics at Thomas More University

Kelly DiGonzini

Director of Financial Planning, CFP, MST at Beacon Pointe Advisors

Daniel Roccato

Clinical Professor of Finance at the University of San Diego School of Business

Andrew Macdonald, CFA, CFP

Adjunct Professor of Finance, Knauss School of Business, University of San Diego

Steven G. Ullmann

Professor and Director of the Center for Health Management and Policy at the University of Miami Herbert Business School

Teresa Serratt

DNP Program Director and Associate Professor at Boise State University School of Nursing

Brian Patrick Green, Ph.D., C.P.A.

Professor of Accounting at the University of Michigan-Dearborn

Anastasia Miller

Assistant Professor of Healthcare Administration, Texas Woman's University

Susan K. Feigenbaum, Ph.D.

Curators' Distinguished Teaching Professor Emerita, Department of Economics at the University of Missouri–St. Louis

Dr. Amanda Carpenter

Assistant Professor, Co-Division Lead, CNBT Division of Medical Sciences and Public Health at Arkansas State University

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