Health insurance cost in Story County, IA (2026)

16 Marketplace plans from 2 insurance companies are sold in Story County in 2026. Here is what they cost by tier and age, what a tax credit does to the price, the cheapest plans by name, and what private plans run for healthy households.

Cheapest Bronze, age 40

$351/mo

full price, before any credit

Silver benchmark, age 40

$533/mo

the plan tax credits are based on

Plans

9 EPO · 7 HMO

Insurers

selling in this county

Deductibles

$1,500 to $8,300

individual, standard plans

Monthly premiums by tier and age

Tier	Age 21	Age 30	Age 40	Age 50	Age 60
Bronze (6 plans)	$274–$473	$311–$537	$351–$605	$490–$846	$745–$1,285
Silver (5 plans)	$411–$692	$466–$786	$525–$885	$734–$1,236	$1,115–$1,879
Gold (5 plans)	$376–$691	$427–$784	$481–$883	$672–$1,234	$1,021–$1,875

Lowest to highest monthly premium among the plans sold in Story County, before any tax credit, from the CMS 2026 plan file (snapshot August 4, 2026).

Ranges at a glance (age 40)

Blue: Marketplace tiers, full price. Green: private plan range for a healthy 40-year-old man in Iowa, after the advisors' usual adjustment.

What a tax credit does in Story County

Household	% of poverty level	Estimated tax credit	Cheapest Bronze, full → after credit
A single 40-year-old earning $40,000	255%	$246/mo	$351 → $105
A family of four (parents 40 and 38, two kids) earning $85,000	264%	$1,061/mo	$1,113 → $52

2025 federal poverty guidelines apply to 2026 coverage; the enhanced credits of 2021–2025 expired, so the 400% cutoff is back (for one person that is $62,600 a year, for four $128,600). The Marketplace sets the final credit.

See your own numbers for Story County

Enter your age, household and income and get every Marketplace plan priced for you, your estimated tax credit, and a private plan range, side by side, in about 30 seconds. No medical questions.

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Cheapest Marketplace plans in Story County

Priced for a 40-year-old, full price. Every plan, with deductibles and copays, is in the tool once you enter your household.

Cheapest Bronze plans

Wellmark Bronze Traditional HMOWellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. · HMO$351/mo at 40 · deductible $7,200 · max out-of-pocket $9,900

Wellmark Bronze HDHP HMO HSA QualifiedWellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. · HMO$358/mo at 40 · deductible $8,300 · max out-of-pocket $8,300

Wellmark Standard Bronze HMOWellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. · HMO$376/mo at 40 · deductible $7,500 · max out-of-pocket $10,000

Cheapest Silver plans

Wellmark Silver Traditional HMOWellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. · HMO$525/mo at 40 · deductible $5,000 · max out-of-pocket $7,500

Wellmark Standard Silver HMOWellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. · HMO$533/mo at 40 · deductible $6,000 · max out-of-pocket $8,900

Medica Insure Silver $0 Copay PCP VisitsMedica · EPO$846/mo at 40 · deductible $3,500 · max out-of-pocket $10,450

Cheapest Gold plans

Wellmark Gold Traditional HMOWellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. · HMO$481/mo at 40 · deductible $1,750 · max out-of-pocket $7,500

Wellmark Standard Gold HMOWellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. · HMO$489/mo at 40 · deductible $2,000 · max out-of-pocket $8,200

Medica Insure Gold $0 Copay PCP VisitsMedica · EPO$832/mo at 40 · deductible $1,500 · max out-of-pocket $8,800

Private plans in Iowa

Age	Man, monthly range	Woman, monthly range
30	$60–$338	$139–$442
40	$131–$472	$166–$523
50	$262–$554	$245–$541
60	$425–$762	$356–$689

A family of four (parents 40 and 38 with two children) is typically quoted $505 to $988 a month in Iowa. Private plans are not ACA plans: no tax credit, health questions on the application, and pre-existing conditions can raise the price or be excluded. Deductibles are usually lower than the cheapest Marketplace tiers and you can enroll any month of the year.

Questions people ask

What is the cheapest health insurance in Story County?

For a 40-year-old paying full price, the cheapest Marketplace plan in Story County is a Bronze plan at $351 a month (Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc.). With a tax credit it can be far less; see the examples above. Private plans for a healthy 40-year-old man start around $131 a month.

How many health insurance companies sell Marketplace plans in Story County?

2 in 2026: Medica, Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc.. Between them they offer 16 plans (9 EPO · 7 HMO).

Do I qualify for a tax credit in Story County?

Marketplace premium tax credits apply when household income is between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level, which for 2026 means up to $62,600 for one person or $128,600 for a family of four. Iowa expanded Medicaid, so incomes under 138% of the poverty level are usually covered there instead. Enter your income in the tool to see your estimate.

When can I enroll?

Marketplace Open Enrollment runs from November 1 to mid-January in most states, or within 60 days of a qualifying life event such as losing other coverage, moving, marriage or a new baby. Private plans can be applied for any month of the year.

Nearby counties in Iowa

All Iowa counties →

Sources: CMS QHP Landscape PY2026 Individual Medical (data.healthcare.gov, snapshot August 4, 2026); HHS 2025 poverty guidelines; IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-25; private ranges from the carrier rate tables our advisors quote from. Page generated 2026-09-29.