Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) stands out as the best health insurance company in Texas overall. BCBS offers a variety of plan types and metal tier plans, including plans with dental coverage for children and adults. BCBS has the highest average rating for quality and customer satisfaction from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), though it fares worse in a J.D. Power survey. Additionally, members get access to unique benefits like the Blue365 discount program. To find the best health insurance companies in Texas, we reviewed seven providers based on criteria including plan types, financial strength, customer satisfaction, health management program offerings, premiums, and out-of-pocket costs. Best Health Insurance Companies in Texas for 2024 Best Health Insurance Companies in Texas for 2024 The Bottom Line Compare Providers Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Methodology Investopedia's Rating 4.6 Pros & Cons Pros Highest average quality rating from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Offers plans in every metal tier Variety of medical management programs Some plans include dental coverage for adults and children 24/7 virtual visits Cons Below average J.D. Power ranking in Texas Relatively high premiums for bronze and silver plans Why We Chose It Blue Cross Blue Shield provides robust health insurance plans with a variety of benefits, which is why it's our top pick overall. In Texas, BCBS offers plans in every metal tier, including catastrophic. Many plans include dental coverage for adults and children. The company also offers health management programs for a number of conditions, such as heart disease, depression, diabetes, and pregnancy. What’s more, there’s a 24/7 nurse line, and you can get virtual care from a doctor around the clock. Plus, Blue365 is one of the more extensive discount programs in the industry, offering a variety of discounts on wellness-related products and services. You can even save on gym memberships and weight-loss programs. But Texans looking for a more affordable plan designed for people who need infrequent doctor visits may be better served by another company, since BCBS premiums in Texas are relatively high for bronze and silver level plans. However, the insurer’s gold plans are a particularly good value, with relatively low deductibles and the lowest estimated annual cost, on average, of available plans. When it comes to customer satisfaction, BCBS has mixed reviews. Its plans have the highest average rating from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) in our study, with 3.5 out of 5 stars. The NCQA rates plans based on factors including quality of care and patient experience. However, the company is ranked last for customer satisfaction in Texas in the 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Commercial Member Health Plan Study. Investopedia's Rating 3.9 Pros & Cons Pros Lowest premiums for bronze and silver plans $0 virtual care available 24/7 No or low-cost MinuteClinic visits Second-highest customer satisfaction rating from J.D. Power All plans are eligible for the premium tax credit Cons Gold plans aren’t as cost-effective for people with high health needs No dental coverage for adults Plans in three metal tiers Why We Chose It If you’re looking for an affordable health plan in Texas, Aetna is a good provider to consider. Aetna has the cheapest premiums for bronze plans and silver plans, even compared to other companies’ plans with the same deductible. If you have low health needs, Aetna offers the lowest estimated annual cost plans and is a great value overall. In addition, Aetna members get access to free virtual care 24/7 and free or low-cost walk-in visits at more than 1,100 CVS MinuteClinic locations for services such as health screenings and care for minor injuries. Taking advantage of these benefits can save you money on healthcare throughout the year. In the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Commercial Member Health Plan Study, Aetna ranked second out of five companies in Texas, and its score was tied with the regional average of 725 out of 1,000. Aetna’s health insurance plans received an average NCQA rating of 3.46 stars out of 5, which is better than the average rating of all the companies we reviewed. Another benefit of Aetna is that 100% of its Marketplace plans are eligible for the maximum premium tax credit, landing the company a spot on our lists of the most affordable health insurance companies and the best health insurance for self-employed people. The main drawback of choosing Aetna is that the company’s gold plans don’t provide the best value. If you expect frequent visits to the doctor or hospital, your overall annual costs may be higher with Aetna than with Blue Cross Blue Shield. Additionally, none of its plans include dental benefits for adults, and plans are only available in three metal tiers. Research Insights "The Health Insurance Marketplace offers premium tax credits to help eligible people afford coverage. The amount of the credit is based on income level and household size, and can come either in the form of lower premiums, or a lump-sum when you file your taxes." –Shanker Narayan, Investopedia Research Analyst Investopedia's Rating 3.9 Pros & Cons Pros Lowest average copays Good selection of health management programs Plans available with $0 virtual urgent care and primary care Members get access to a dedicated care team Low-cost prescriptions Cons Low NCQA plan rating No plans with adult dental benefits Expensive premiums for bronze and silver plans Why We Chose It Out of the Texas health insurance providers we reviewed, Oscar is the best option for low physician copays. Oscar has the second-lowest copays for bronze plans and the lowest copays for silver plans of the companies we evaluated. Choosing a plan with a low copay is beneficial because you’ll spend less out of pocket when you see the doctor. Oscar’s ACA Marketplace plans come with a variety of benefits, including $0 virtual care visits and primary care visits, as well as prescriptions starting at just $3. Members also get access to a dedicated care team that can help you find doctors, schedule appointments, navigate your health plan benefits, and more. You can message your care team at any time online or through Oscar’s mobile app. We also like that Oscar has a big selection of health management programs. In fact, Oscar offers more medical management programs in Texas than any other provider we reviewed. With an Oscar plan, you can get support for weight loss, pregnancy, low back pain, high cholesterol, and many other conditions. One of the biggest downsides of Oscar is that its bronze plan and silver plan premiums are more expensive than the average for all companies we reviewed. Additionally, Oscar doesn’t offer any Marketplace plans that include dental coverage for adults. It’s also worth noting that Oscar’s average NCQA plan rating is 2.75 out of 5 stars, indicating its quality of care and customer experience are lacking compared to competitors. It has the second-lowest plan rating out of the seven Texas health insurance companies in our study. Investopedia's Rating 3.4 Pros & Cons Pros Top-rated by J.D. Power in Texas One of the highest NCQA ratings Some plans include pediatric and adult dental coverage Many plans include free primary care visits A+ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best Cons Fewer plan types compared to competitors No health management plans Expensive premiums Why We Chose It UnitedHealthcare has some of the highest-rated health insurance plans in Texas. The company ranked first for overall customer satisfaction in Texas in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Commercial Member Health Plan Study. UnitedHealthcare’s score of 729 is slightly higher than the industry average of 725. It also has one of the highest average NCQA ratings out of the companies we reviewed and a superior financial strength rating from AM Best. Overall, UnitedHealthcare offers good health insurance plans through the Marketplace. Plans are available in four metal tiers: bronze, expanded bronze, silver, and gold. But you can only choose between an HMO and a PPO plan, so the options are limited compared to other providers. UnitedHealthcare sells plans with dental coverage for adults and children, and many plans provide free primary care visits with no copays. However, UnitedHealthcare doesn’t offer any health management programs in Texas. When it comes to cost, UnitedHealthcare’s plans are more expensive than many other companies in our study. It has the highest average premiums for bronze and silver plans out of the seven health insurance companies we looked at. Although UnitedHealthcare has some of the lowest copays, other companies we reviewed also have low copays and lower premiums, such as Cigna and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Blue Cross Blue Shield is our top pick for the best health insurance company in Texas overall. BCBS stands out for its extensive plan types and metal tiers, as well as its member benefits, like the Blue365 program. It also has the highest average NCQA plan rating in our study. However, BCBS has relatively expensive premiums compared to competitors. If you’re looking for a more affordable health insurance plan, Aetna is a good alternative. Aetna has the cheapest average premiums for bronze and silver plans out of the companies we reviewed. Many plans also include free virtual care and no-cost or low-cost CVS MinuteClinic visits, which can help you save on health care. If you think you’ll use a lot of health services, you may be more concerned with your out-of-pocket copays than your premium. In that case, Oscar may be best for you. "PPO’s offer the largest network of hospitals and doctors to choose from, as well as the ability to see a specialist without a referral, which could make it easier to find care close to where you live. But they’re more expensive than HMO and EPO plans, which could be adequate if you plan to stay in-network and don’t need specialist care. You should consider the level of flexibility you need, as well as how much you’re willing to pay when deciding on the right plan type." –Shanker Narayan, Investopedia Research Analyst A variety of factors will influence your monthly health insurance costs in Texas. These include your age, your tobacco use, whether you’re enrolling as an individual or family, which metal tier you choose, and whether you qualify for the premium tax credit. For example, older folks can pay up to three times as much for health insurance as younger people, and insurers are allowed to charge smokers up to 50% more for the same plan. Shop around to find the cheapest health insurance for your situation. You can get health insurance in Texas through your employer, by purchasing an individual or family plan on the Healthcare.gov Marketplace, or by using the Small Business Health Insurance Options Program (SHOP) if you need small business health insurance. When using the Marketplace, be sure to enter details about your household and your income to see if you qualify for the premium tax credit. If you don’t have health insurance in Texas, you can still receive medical care. All non-profit hospitals in Texas are required to offer a certain amount of free “charity care” to people who are uninsured. If you go to the emergency room, all hospitals in Texas are required to provide treatment, even if you don’t have insurance. However, these laws are not a substitute for health insurance. Without health insurance, you have to pay for routine doctor’s visits and all other non-emergency medical care out-of-pocket. When it comes to cost, Aetna offers the best value bronze plans in Texas. For a 35-year-old female in El Paso, Aetna’s lowest bronze plan premium is $366.09 with a $7,500 deductible. Other companies offer slightly lower premiums, but with a much higher deductible. Additionally, Aetna members can get $0 virtual urgent care and free or low-cost primary care through CVS MinuteClinics. And all of Aetna’s plans qualify for the premium tax credit, which can reduce your premium if you’re eligible. The premium tax credit is designed to reduce monthly health insurance costs for people whose income is between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. Your expected contribution is based on your income, and your tax credit will equal the difference between a silver plan premium and your expected contribution. You can apply the tax credit to any Marketplace health insurance plan that isn’t a catastrophic plan. And you can either use it in advance or claim it at the end of the year. To identify which health insurance companies to review, we analyzed business and market insight databases, considered health insurance company market share, and researched user-generated data from Google to determine public interest and trends in health insurance companies and plans. We collected quotes for individuals in El Paso County, Texas, as well as national data from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), an independent organization that rates healthcare plans on quality and patient satisfaction. We also gathered data from state and federal government insurance marketplace websites and databases, and directly from companies via websites, media contacts, and existing partnerships. The data collection process took place between Sept. 29 and Oct. 23, 2023. We then developed a quantitative model that scores each health insurance provider based on 27 criteria that fall into four major categories and are crucial in evaluating the company’s offerings and benefits. We weighted the four categories as follows for this article: Article Sources Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in oureditorial policy. National Committee for Quality Assurance. “BCBS Texas.” National Committee for Quality Assurance. “2023 Health Plan Ratings Methodology.” J.D. Power. "Commercial Health Plan Member Satisfaction Declines in Key Areas, J.D. Power Finds." Healthcare.gov. “How Insurance Companies Set Health Premiums.” Texas Department of Insurance. “Need Health Insurance? How to Find a New Health Plan Now.” Healthcare.gov. “Premium Tax Credit.” Related Terms Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment: What to Know Medicare Supplement open enrollment only happens once, according to federal guidelines. Don’t miss out on your chance to buy a Medigap plan. more Medicare Supplement Plan F: What It Is and How It Works Medicare Supplement Plan F is a well-liked Medigap plan, but it’s not for new-to-Medicare recipients. Find out more about what it is and how it works. more Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: What to Know Medicare Advantage open enrollment happens every year from January 1 through March 31. Use the time before open enrollment begins to research and compare your options. more Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): What It Is, Pros and Cons A health maintenance organization (HMO) is a health insurance plan that provides health services through a network of doctors for a monthly or annual fee. more Health Insurance: Definition, How It Works Health insurance is a type of contract in which a company agrees to pay some of a consumer's medical expenses in return for payment of a monthly premium. more High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP): Definition, Coverage, and Costs A high-deductible health plan is health insurance with a high minimum deductible for medical expenses that must be paid before insurance coverage kicks in. moreBest Health Insurance Companies in Texas for 2024
Best Overall : Blue Cross Blue Shield
Best Premiums : Aetna
Best Copays : Oscar
Great for Quality and Customer Service : UnitedHealthcare
The Bottom Line
Compare the Best Health Insurance Companies in Texas
Insurance Company Best For Plan Types Avg. Bronze Plan Cost Metal Tiers Blue Cross Blue Shield Overall HMO, PPO, EPO, POS About average Bronze, expanded bronze, silver, gold, platinum, catastrophic Oscar Copays HMO, PPO, EPO More expensive Bronze, expanded bronze, silver, gold, catastrophic Aetna Premiums HMO, PPO, EPO Cheapest Expanded bronze, silver, gold UnitedHealthcare Quality and customer service HMO, EPO More expensive Bronze, expanded bronze, silver, gold Research Insights
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does Health Insurance Cost Per Month in Texas?
How Can I Get Health Insurance in Texas?
How Can I Receive Healthcare Without Insurance in Texas?
Which Health Insurance Company Offers the Best Value Bronze Plans in Texas?
What Is the Premium Tax Credit?
How We Chose the Best Health Insurance Companies in Texas
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