When shopping for individual coverage through Remodel Health or the health insurance Marketplace, you’ll likely encounter carriers like UnitedHealthcare, Ambetter, Oscar Health, Elevance Health, Molina Healthcare, and Kaiser Permanente.
But carrier availability varies by state and county, so not every carrier will be an option where you live. Understanding your health insurance options helps you compare coverage available in your area.
In this article, we'll cover the major individual health insurance carriers, how to check what's available in your area, and what to consider when comparing plans.
In this article, you'll learn:
For the 2026 plan year, Ideon1 and KFF's analysis of Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace insurer participation2 identifies several of the largest national insurance companies participating in the individual market. Insurers are grouped by parent company.
|
Major carrier |
States with Marketplace plans in 2026 |
|
UnitedHealthcare |
32 states |
|
Centene Corporation (Ambetter Health) |
29 states |
|
Oscar Health |
21 states |
|
Elevance Health (Anthem and WellPoint) |
22 states |
|
Molina Healthcare |
14 states |
|
Cigna Healthcare |
11 states (exiting the ACA individual market in 2027) |
|
Kaiser Permanente |
12 states |
Prior to exiting the Marketplace for the 2026 plan year, CVS Aetna provided plans in 17 states. Cigna will also be leaving the Marketplace for the 2027 plan year.
These companies represent some of the largest national players in the ACA Marketplace, but they aren't the only individual health insurance carriers. Numerous regional and state-based insurers also participate in the individual market.
KFF found that an average of nine insurers participated in each state's ACA Marketplace in 2026. Texas had the most, with 15 insurers, followed by New York with 12 and California, Florida, and Wisconsin with 11 each.
UnitedHealthcare is the largest national Marketplace participant by state footprint in 2026, offering individual health insurance plans in 30 states.
UnitedHealthcare operates through different affiliated health plans and brands depending on the market. Specific plans, provider networks, premium payments, and benefits vary by location.
Centene Corporation offers individual Marketplace coverage primarily through its Ambetter Health brand. Ambetter operates in 29 states for the 2026 plan year.
Centene is also one of the largest insurers in the individual market. KFF reports that Centene accounted for 18% of individual-market enrollment in 2024, based on its analysis of insurer enrollment data.
Oscar Health offers individual Marketplace coverage in 20 states for 2026.
Oscar has continued expanding its Marketplace footprint, including entering Alabama for the 2026 plan year. Like other carriers, however, its plans aren't necessarily available throughout every county in a state where it operates.
Elevance Health participates in the individual Marketplace through affiliated health plans and brands, including plans associated with the Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield system and Wellpoint.
Elevance operates Marketplace plans in 18 states in 2026. Because Blue Cross Blue Shield companies are independently operated licensees, consumers should look at the specific local insurer and plan available in their area rather than assuming every Blue Cross Blue Shield plan has the same network or benefits.
Molina Healthcare offers Marketplace plans in 14 states in 2026.
Molina is another significant participant in the individual market, although its availability varies considerably by geography. As with other insurers, consumers should verify the specific plans and service areas available in their county.
Cigna Healthcare offered individual Marketplace plans in 11 states for 2026. However, it will exit the market in 2027.
Cigna was also among the major insurers participating in the individual market, although its Marketplace footprint was considerably smaller than some of the other national carriers. Those with individual coverage through Cigna will need to choose a new carrier for 2027 coverage.
Kaiser Permanente offers individual Marketplace coverage in 10 states in 2026.
Kaiser operates through regional health plans (often called Kaiser Foundation plans) and an integrated healthcare system, so its coverage is generally tied closely to the geographic areas where Kaiser operates. Consumers should verify that both the plan and the providers they want to use are available in their area.
Blue Cross Blue Shield is one of the most recognizable names in health insurance, but it isn't a single nationwide insurance company.
Instead, the Blue Cross Blue Shield system consists of independent, locally operated companies. A Blue Cross Blue Shield plan in one state can therefore have different provider networks, premiums, plan designs, customer service operations, and financial ratings from a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan in another state.
For example, Elevance Health is one of the major parent companies associated with Blue Cross Blue Shield plans through its Anthem brand, but not every Blue Cross Blue Shield company is owned by Elevance.
When comparing coverage, look at the specific Blue Cross Blue Shield company and plan available in your area, rather than relying only on the national brand name.
There are 63 Blue Cross Blue Shield companies nationwide3, including:
KFF's 2026 analysis found that insurers can significantly change their geographic footprints from year to year. For example, UnitedHealthcare reduced its footprint in Kansas from 87% of counties in 2025 to 33% in 2026, while expanding its Oklahoma footprint from 18% to 74% of counties. Centene also reduced its North Carolina footprint from all counties in 2025 to 63% in 2026.
In 2026, 165 counties had only one insurer offering ACA Marketplace plans, up from 93 counties in 2025. Overall, one-third of counties saw a decrease in participating ACA insurers compared with the previous year. That's why you should never treat a national list of insurance carriers as a list of plans available to every consumer.
To see your actual options, visit HealthCare.gov or your state’s health insurance marketplace if it operates its own Marketplace. During the Open Enrollment period, you can compare the individual health plans and carriers available in your area.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) also publishes detailed Marketplace data, including service-area information by state, county, and ZIP code in its Exchange Public Use Files4.
If your employer offers you a CHOICE Arrangement (formerly ICHRA) through Remodel Health, you can browse available plans and shop for coverage through the Remodel Health platform. Those with complex medical situations can also use our licensed Benefit Advisors to help you determine which plans best fit your needs.
Once you know which carriers are available in your area, the next step is to compare the plans, not just the company names.
Here are four factors to consider.
A plan's provider network determines which doctors, hospitals, and other providers you can use for covered medical services. A national carrier doesn't necessarily have the largest or most useful network in your area.
Before choosing a plan, check whether its network includes:
A plan with a lower premium payment may not be the best fit if your preferred providers aren't in network. You can check which providers are in network through an exchange. You can also verify if your preferred providers accept an insurance plan by contacting them directly.
Individual carriers may offer different plan types5 depending on the market, including:
Availability varies by carrier and location, so compare the actual plan designs offered in your area.
The Marketplace provides quality information that can help consumers compare plans.
CMS's Quality Rating System6 (QRS) uses a 1-to-5-star scale to rate eligible qualified health plans. The ratings consider three categories:
The member experience category includes measures of enrollee satisfaction, including ratings of personal doctors and healthcare.
Remember that these ratings apply to individual health plans, not necessarily an entire insurance company. The same carrier can offer plans with different networks and quality ratings in different markets.
Financial strength can provide another data point when comparing insurance companies.
AM Best's Financial Strength Rating (FSR) evaluates an insurer's ability to meet its ongoing insurance obligations. When reviewing an AM Best rating, look for the rating assigned to the specific insurance entity underwriting the policy, rather than assuming a parent company's rating applies to every affiliated insurer.
Knowing the major individual health insurance carriers is useful, but the carrier name alone doesn't tell you whether a plan is right for you.
The most important factors are often specific to the plan available in your area:
Because carrier participation changes from year to year, it's important to verify current availability rather than rely on an older list.
For employers considering a CHOICE Arrangement, formerly known as an individual coverage health reimbursement arrangement (ICHRA), understanding the individual insurance market is especially important.
With a traditional group health insurance plan, the employer typically chooses the carrier and plan or set of plans employees can select from.
With a CHOICE Arrangement, employees can receive employer-funded contributions to help pay for individual health coverage. Employees can then shop for an individual health plan that fits their needs from the options available in their area.
That can give employees more flexibility when choosing health plans that fit their needs, including:
However, the same geographic limitations apply. Employees can only choose from individual health plans available where they live.
For employers and brokers, understanding the individual market's carrier landscape can therefore be an important part of evaluating how a CHOICE Arrangement can give employees greater choice and flexibility.
Remodel Health is the nation's largest CHOICE Arrangement administrator. Trusted by thousands of customers nationwide, we help both small businesses and applicable large employers (ALEs) offer individualized health benefits to their employees.
With ClearChoice by Remodel Health, employees receive dedicated support throughout the benefits lifecycle.
Remodel Health can provide:
With the right education, tools, and support, employees can feel more confident choosing and using their individual health coverage throughout the year.
Before choosing a plan, check what's available in your area and compare more than just the carrier name. Consider the network, plan design, costs, quality ratings, and the insurer's financial strength. For employers considering a CHOICE Arrangement, the individual market can give employees more flexibility to choose coverage that fits their needs.