Quick answer
The 2026 benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old in Kansas averaged $670 a month before subsidies, about $45 more than the U.S. average of $625. That ranges from roughly $524 a month at age 21 to $1,573 at 64. Nearly 9 in 10 Kansas enrollees got a tax credit or cost-sharing help, which brought the average bill down to $160 a month. Insurers have proposed 2027 increases averaging 19.5% to 24.2%, depending on the calculation, higher than the roughly 15% median insurers requested nationally, and the rates weren’t final as of late September 2026.
Key takeaways
- Kansas’ 2026 benchmark premium for a 40-year-old averaged $670 a month before subsidies, about 7% above the national average.
- Proposed 2027 increases average 19.5% to 24.2% before subsidies, depending on the calculation, with UnitedHealthcare asking for 34.81%, and none had been approved as of late September 2026.
- Medica is leaving Kansas’ individual market after 2026, which affects about 600 enrollees in the Kansas City area, and five insurers remain.
- 192,811 Kansans picked a plan for 2026, and about 89% got a premium tax credit or cost-sharing help.
- Kansas hasn’t expanded Medicaid, and KFF estimated in 2025 that about 28,000 Kansans fall in the coverage gap.
On this page
What a Kansas Marketplace plan costs before subsidies
| Age | Benchmark silver plan, per month (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|
| 21 | $524 |
| 30 | $595 |
| 40 | $670 |
| 50 | $936 |
| 60 | $1,423 |
| 64 | $1,573 |
| Child under 15 | $401 |
Put a family of four together, with two 40-year-old parents and two young children, and benchmark plans would cost about $2,142 a month before subsidies.
What you’d pay after a tax credit
Most Kansans on the Marketplace pay far less than those prices. You can get a premium tax credit with household income from 100% to 400% of the federal poverty level, and it keeps your cost for the benchmark plan to a set share of that income. For a single 40-year-old earning $40,000, the benchmark plan would cost about $287 a month in 2026, with a credit of about $383 covering the rest. For 2027, expect that person’s share to be about $289 a month. Past 400% of the poverty level ($62,600 for one person for 2026 coverage, $63,840 for 2027), you’d owe the full price.
In 2026 the average credit in Kansas was $697 a month, subsidized enrollees paid about $80 a month, and 29% of all enrollees paid less than $10. At the bottom of the income scale it’s a different story: because Kansas hasn’t expanded Medicaid, many adults below the poverty level can’t get Medicaid or a tax credit. See health insurance for low-income families.
Costs beyond the premium
The premium buys the coverage. When you get care, you’ll usually pay the deductible first and then copays or coinsurance, and the out-of-pocket maximum limits your yearly total to $10,600 for one person in 2026 and $12,000 in 2027. Silver plans carry cost-sharing reductions for people earning less than 250% of the poverty level.
Kansas Marketplace facts
- Marketplace: Kansans shop and enroll on HealthCare.gov.
- Enrollment: Kansans made 192,811 plan selections for 2026, about 4% fewer than the 200,046 in 2025. The average premium tax credit was $697 a month.
- Insurers: Six insurers sold 2026 plans: Ambetter from Sunflower Health Plan, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, Medica, Oscar and UnitedHealthcare. Medica won’t offer individual plans in Kansas after 2026, and about 600 of its members in the Kansas City area need to choose new coverage; see what to do if your insurance company leaves the Marketplace. Aetna left the state’s market at the end of 2025.
- 2027 prices: Proposed and still waiting on approval as of late September 2026. ACA Signups puts the weighted average of the proposals at 19.5%, and healthinsurance.org puts it at 24.2%. Insurers asked for 15.4% (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City), 15.68% (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas), 16.7% (Ambetter), 20.0% (Oscar) and 34.81% (UnitedHealthcare). See premium increases by state.
- State help: None on top of federal credits. Kansas has no state premium subsidy, reinsurance program, public option or individual mandate.
- Medicaid: KanCare, the state’s Medicaid program, hasn’t been expanded under the ACA. Parents and caretaker relatives qualify up to 38% of the poverty level, and adults without dependent children generally can’t qualify at any income. Children can get coverage through KanCare or CHIP up to about 250% of the poverty level. Expansion bills were introduced in the Kansas House and Senate in early 2026, and Gov. Laura Kelly has backed expansion. See Medicaid income limits by state.
When to enroll
Kansas uses HealthCare.gov, so open enrollment for 2027 runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Choose a plan by December 15 if you want coverage on January 1. Medica members can use this window to pick a replacement. If you miss it, see what you can do after open enrollment.
Other options in Kansas
- Employer coverage, typically the cheapest route when it’s offered.
- KanCare for children, pregnant women and parents with very low income; see health insurance for children.
- Medicare at 65.
Health insurance costs in nearby states: Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma and Colorado. You can also compare health insurance costs in every state.
Compare 2027 plans in your Kansas county: get quotes by ZIP code.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the average cost of health insurance in Kansas?
Before subsidies, the 2026 benchmark silver plan averaged $670 a month for a 40-year-old. After tax credits, the average Kansas enrollee paid $160 a month.
How much will Kansas premiums rise in 2027?
Proposed increases average 19.5% to 24.2% before subsidies, depending on the calculation, from 15.4% for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City to 34.81% for UnitedHealthcare. The state hadn’t signed off on them as of late September 2026.
Has Kansas expanded Medicaid?
No. Kansas is one of 10 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid, and KFF estimated in 2025 that about 28,000 Kansans are in the coverage gap, earning too little for tax credits without qualifying for KanCare.
Is Medica leaving Kansas?
Yes. Medica stops selling individual plans in Kansas after 2026, which affects about 600 people in the Kansas City area. Five insurers remain for 2027.
Sources
- healthinsurance.org: Kansas Health Insurance Marketplace
- healthinsurance.org: Kansas Medicaid
- ACA Signups: 2027 Rate Changes – Kansas
- KFF: Medicaid Income Eligibility Limits for Parents
- healthinsurance.org: Health insurance premium increases for 2027 by state
- KFF: Marketplace Average Benchmark Premiums
This article is general information, not insurance or tax advice. Kansas prices shown are averages and estimates; what you pay depends on where you live, your age, your income and the plan you choose. Last reviewed September 2026.