Quick answer
New Hampshire had the cheapest benchmark Marketplace plan of any state in 2026: $401 a month for a 40-year-old before subsidies, compared with a U.S. average of $625. That’s about $314 a month at 21 and $941 at 64. For 2027, insurers have proposed increases averaging 17.7% to 18.4%, depending on the calculation, and those rates hadn’t been approved as of late September 2026. Ambetter is also leaving the state’s Marketplace.
Key takeaways
- New Hampshire’s 2026 benchmark premium for a 40-year-old was $401 a month, the lowest in the country and $224 below the national average.
- Low full prices also mean smaller tax credits: 56% of the 66,024 people who picked a 2026 plan got financial help, compared with about 87% nationally.
- Insurers proposed 2027 increases averaging 17.7% to 18.4% before subsidies, still unapproved as of late September 2026.
- Ambetter stops selling Marketplace plans in New Hampshire after 2026, and its roughly 11,600 members will need another insurer.
- A state reinsurance program, approved through 2030, was projected to make 2026 premiums about 11% lower than they’d be without it.
On this page
What a New Hampshire Marketplace plan costs before subsidies
| Age | Benchmark silver plan, per month (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|
| 21 | $314 |
| 30 | $356 |
| 40 | $401 |
| 50 | $560 |
| 60 | $852 |
| 64 | $941 |
| Child under 15 | $240 |
Benchmark plans for two 40-year-old parents and two young children would come to about $1,282 a month at full price.
No other state came in lower for 2026. Maryland was next at $414 for a 40-year-old, while Vermont topped the list at $1,299.
What you’d pay after a tax credit
The premium tax credit covers the difference between the benchmark plan’s price and a set share of your income, for household incomes from 100% to 400% of the federal poverty level. In New Hampshire that difference is small. A single 40-year-old earning $40,000 would pay about $287 a month for the benchmark plan in 2026, so the credit would be only about $114. For 2027, the same person’s share would be about $289 a month. Above 400% of the poverty level ($62,600 for one person for 2026 coverage, $63,840 for 2027), there’s no credit at all.
New Hampshire enrollees also paid more after subsidies than the national average: $342 a month across all 2026 enrollees, compared with $178 nationally. People who qualified for help paid about $200.
New Hampshire expanded Medicaid, so adults earning up to 138% of the poverty level (about $22,025 a year for one person in 2026) can usually get Medicaid instead. See health insurance for low-income families.
Costs beyond the premium
Most plans come with a deductible, then copays or coinsurance, and your share of covered in-network care stops at the out-of-pocket maximum: $10,600 for one person in 2026 and $12,000 in 2027. If your income is under 250% of the poverty level, a silver plan’s cost-sharing reductions lower those amounts.
New Hampshire also bans balance billing by ground ambulance services starting in 2026. The federal No Surprises Act doesn’t cover ground ambulances, so the state rule adds a protection federal law leaves out.
New Hampshire Marketplace facts
- Marketplace: HealthCare.gov, the federal exchange.
- Enrollment: 66,024 plan selections for 2026, down from 70,337 in 2025. 56% got a tax credit or cost-sharing reductions.
- Insurers: Four carriers sold 2026 plans: Harvard Pilgrim, Matthew Thornton Health Plan (Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield), WellSense (Boston Medical Center Health Plan) and Ambetter. Ambetter exits at the end of 2026; if it covers you now, see what to do if your insurance company leaves the Marketplace.
- 2027 prices: Proposed, and not yet approved as of late September 2026. The weighted average is 17.7% (ACA Signups) or 18.4% (healthinsurance.org). By insurer, the proposals are 10.7% for Harvard Pilgrim, 18.1% for Matthew Thornton and 21.6% for WellSense.
- State help: A reinsurance program that started in 2021 and has federal approval through 2030. There’s no state premium subsidy, public option or individual mandate.
- Medicaid: Granite Advantage covers adults up to 138% of the poverty level, and children qualify for Medicaid up to 323%. Starting January 1, 2027, Granite Advantage adults ages 19 to 64 who aren’t exempt must log 80 hours a month of work or community engagement; see Medicaid work requirements. A state trigger law would end the program within 180 days if the federal government cut its share of the cost.
When to enroll
Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 on HealthCare.gov. Sign up by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1. If you have an Ambetter plan now, choosing a new plan by that date keeps your coverage going without a gap. For ways to cut your bill, see how to lower your Marketplace premium.
Other options in New Hampshire
- Coverage through a job, which usually costs less if your employer offers it.
- Granite Advantage for adults up to 138% of the poverty level, and Medicaid for children up to 323%; see health insurance for children.
- Medicare at 65.
Health insurance costs in nearby states: Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts. You can also compare health insurance costs in every state.
See what 2027 plans cost in your New Hampshire county: compare quotes by ZIP code.
Frequently asked questions
Why is health insurance cheaper in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire had the lowest benchmark premium of any state in 2026, $401 a month for a 40-year-old. One factor is the state’s reinsurance program, which CMS projected would keep 2026 premiums about 11% lower than they’d be without it.
Is Ambetter leaving New Hampshire?
Yes. Ambetter stops selling Marketplace plans in New Hampshire after 2026. Its roughly 11,600 members need to choose a plan from another insurer during open enrollment.
How much will New Hampshire premiums go up in 2027?
Insurers proposed increases averaging 17.7% to 18.4% before subsidies, depending on how the average is calculated. Those rates hadn’t been approved as of late September 2026.
Why is my tax credit so small in New Hampshire?
The credit makes up the gap between the benchmark plan’s price and what you’re expected to pay based on your income. With a $401 benchmark, that gap is small: about $114 a month for a single 40-year-old earning $40,000 in 2026.
Sources
- healthinsurance.org: New Hampshire Health Insurance Marketplace
- ACA Signups: 2027 Rate Changes – New Hampshire
- NHPR: Ambetter Health to exit New Hampshire’s ACA marketplace
- NHPR: Work requirements coming for people on Medicaid Granite Advantage
- CMS: New Hampshire Section 1332 Waiver Extension Fact Sheet
- KFF: Marketplace Average Benchmark Premiums
This article is general information, not insurance or tax advice. Your premium depends on your county, age, income and plan, and New Hampshire’s 2027 rates weren’t final when this was written. Last reviewed September 2026.