Updated: November 21, 2024
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Best Health InsuranceMissouriBest Health Insurance in Missouri
Why Trust MoneyGeek? We downloaded plan data for Missouri directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). MoneyGeek’s scoring methodology balances costs, claims approval and plan types to find the best providers in the state.
Plan data was updated with the CMS exchange data released in October 2023 for the 2024 enrollment period.
Cox HealthPlans offers the best health insurance in Missouri with a MoneyGeek score of 83. The provider has great plan options that are more affordable. It also has lower than average out-of-pocket costs and better than average when it comes to not denying claims.
For this review, we looked at 53 Silver EPO plans in Missouri.
Affordable premium rates
Low out-of-pocket maximum costs
Few claims denied
Limited plan types available
MoneyGeek’s top pick for the best health insurance in Missouri is Cox HealthPlans. They offer eight Silver EPO plans with an average plan rate of $520 per month and an average MOOP cost of $7,850. Cox HealthPlans also has a denial rate of 17.8%, which is lower than most of the competition.
Cox HealthPlans provides EPO plans, which are beneficial because they usually provide lower costs when you choose providers in-network and do not require referrals to see specialists.
Plan Recommendations
MoneyGeek recommends the following Silver plans:
Ambetter has the best health insurance in Missouri for low out-of-pocket costs, with a MoneyGeek score of 86. Ambetter offers the cheapest plan options, has a lower MOOP and has better-than-average claim denial rates.
In Missouri, 33 Gold EPO plans were looked at for this analysis.
Highly affordable premium rates
Low out-of-pocket maximum costs
Few claims denied
Diverse selection of plan types
MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Missouri for low out-of-pocket costs is Ambetter. It offers 10 Gold EPO plans, a type of plan that lets you have lower costs when you see in-network doctors. They offer an average plan rate of $624 and an average MOOP cost of $7,680.
Ambetter has a denial rate of 14.84%, which is lower than most of the competition.
Plan Recommendations
MoneyGeek recommends the following Gold and Platinum plans:
Cox HealthPlans is the best cheap provider for cheap health insurance in Missouri, with a MoneyGeek score of 90 out of 100. The provider offers plans with low rates, low out-of-pocket costs and fewer claim denials than most others.
To conduct our analysis, we looked at 53 Silver EPO plans in Missouri. MoneyGeek placed a bigger emphasis on plans with low monthly premiums when deciding on the best provider for this category, but plans with low premiums might have higher out-of-pocket costs.
Low MOOP
Few claims denied
Affordable premium rates
Variety of plan options
MoneyGeek's top pick for the best cheap health insurance in Missouri is Cox HealthPlans. This provider offers eight different Silver plans, with an average rate of $520 and an average MOOP of $7,850. Cox HealthPlans has a 17.8% denial rate, which is lower than most of the competition.
Cox HealthPlans provides Silver EPO plans. Compared with PPO or POS plans, EPO plans generally have lower out-of-pocket costs when patients see doctors within the network.
Plan Recommendations
MoneyGeek recommends the following cheap Silver plans:
Cox HealthPlans scores 90 out of 100, offering the best health insurance in Missouri for people with low income. This provider has lower than average rates for plans, reduced out-of-pocket costs and a low percentage of claim denials. In Missouri, we evaluated 53 Silver CSR EPO plans.
MoneyGeek gave more weight to plans with low monthly premiums and included only plans with cost-sharing reductions (CSRs). CSRs lower your out-of-pocket maximum and deductible if your income falls within certain ranges, helping you avoid high costs when choosing lower-priced plans. A regular Silver plan typically pays for about 70% of medical costs, but with CSR Silver plans, you can expect different levels of coverage based on your income:
These income brackets change based on how many people live in your house.
Low premium rates
Minimal out-of-pocket expenses
Infrequent claim denials
Diverse range of plan options
MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Missouri for those with low income is Cox HealthPlans. The provider offers cost-effective plans for people who earn below 250% of the FPL. They provide eight Silver CSR plans, and residents can choose a plan with an average cost of $520 per month. The average MOOP for these plans is $6588.
Cox HealthPlans only provides EPO plans, not PPO or POS plans. A common benefit of an EPO plan is that it usually has more affordable premiums. The company's denial rate is 17.8%, which means it has an average denial rate compared to competitors.
Plan Recommendations
Cox HealthPlans' top-rated plan offers lower out-of-pocket expenses for the same premium for people in different income brackets. Here are some of the lower overall out-of-pocket costs based on income levels:
Ambetter offers the best health insurance in Missouri for young adults with a MoneyGeek score of 76 out of 100. The provider has low out-of-pocket costs and does not often deny claims. Remember, only those younger than 30 can buy Catastrophic plans.
We evaluated six Bronze EPO plans, 50 Expanded Bronze EPO plans and seven Catastrophic EPO plans for this category.
Low out-of-pocket costs
Few claims denied
Variety of plan types offered
Ambetter is the top pick for young adults seeking health insurance in Missouri. The insurer offers eight Expanded Bronze plans, but no Catastrophic or Bronze plans. The average plan rate is $395 and an average MOOP cost of $8,788. The provider has a denial rate of 15%, which is lower than most of the competition.
Ambetter does not offer any PPO or POS plans, but EPO plans often include lower monthly premiums and the requirement to choose providers within a specific network.
Plan Recommendations
MoneyGeek recommends the following plans for young adults:
Health insurance companies offer different kinds of plans, but in Missouri, only EPO plans are available. The best EPO provider in in Missouri is Cox HealthPlans, with a MoneyGeek score of 88 out of 100.
Only Silver plans were used for MoneyGeek's recommendations. Silver plans are good for people who use health services regularly because they balance premiums and out-of-pocket costs. Missouri has 53 Silver EPO plans available.
MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Missouri for Silver EPO plans is Cox HealthPlans. They offer eight Silver EPO plans. They offer an average plan rate of $520 and an average MOOP cost of $7,850. The provider has a denial rate of about 18%, which means they deny fewer claims than average.
Silver EPO plans can be good because you might not need to get a referral to see a specialist. But you need to get care within their network unless it's an emergency, which can limit where you can go for treatment.
Plan Recommendations
We suggest the following Silver EPO plans from Cox HealthPlans:
National General Accident & Health offers the best short-term health insurance in Missouri, with a MoneyGeek score of 90 out of 100. Short-term health insurance plans do not comply with the Affordable Care Act, so they may not cover essential health benefits that are provided in other plans. Because of this, they are not recommended as a permanent solution for health insurance.
National General Accident & Health offers the best balance of cost and coverage options if you are looking for short-term health insurance in Missouri. The company has the most affordable rates and offers a variety of benefits to choose from including prescription coverage and emergency care. Coverage can be customized to suit your health care needs and preferred term length, but some plans may have high out-of-pocket costs.
The best health insurance in Missouri for you will depend on your unique needs and preferences. Paying less in premiums may mean higher out-of-pocket costs, while plans with higher premiums may offer better coverage. When shopping for the best health insurance, look for a plan that’s affordable and provides adequate coverage.
Understand when a health insurance plan will cover you
When you have health insurance, doctors and hospitals that agree to take your insurance are in-network. Going to them usually costs less money. But if you go to a doctor or a hospital not in your network, also known as out-of-network, it can cost more money.
In Missouri, there are 53 EPO plans.
Weigh the cost of premiums vs. the cost of care
Some plans have low monthly costs, but you might pay more if you get sick. Plans with higher monthly costs can have lower yearly limits on what you pay for health care. This can help save money if you go to the doctor often or have to get treated for a major illness.
In Missouri, the Silver plan called Cox HealthPlans Silver Preferred $3,500 Deductible has a monthly cost of $516 and a MOOP of $9,000, which strikes a balance between a low rate and a low MOOP.
Medicare is a government-funded program that subsidizes the cost of health care for individuals aged 65 and older or those with a qualifying medical condition. Medicare is divided into three parts:
Missouri residents with incomes below 138% of the FPL are eligible for Medicaid, another government-funded program that includes coverage for health care costs as well as services like nursing home care and personal care.
When looking for health insurance, it’s common to have questions about costs and availability. MoneyGeek answered some of the most commonly asked questions about health insurance in Missouri to help you learn more.
Cox HealthPlans is the best health insurance provider in Missouri for 2024. It ranks high for affordability and has the lowest average MOOP costs among the providers that were sampled.
When shopping for the best health insurance in Missouri, look for a plan that balances monthly and out-of-pocket costs. Keep in mind that low premiums typically mean higher out-of-pocket costs. Also consider which plans cover in-network and out-of-network care to find a plan that suits your needs.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick is a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer and MoneyGeek's Head of Insurance. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research and creating personalized content for every kind of buyer. He has been quoted in several insurance-related publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick earned a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his knowledge of economics and insurance to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.
