Last checked October 29, 2026.
Without a subsidy, the benchmark marketplace health plan for a 40-year-old in Montana costs $692 a month in 2026, up from $554 in 2025. Most marketplace enrollees get a subsidy; the average Montana enrollee paid about $107 a month after it.
Marketplace premiums
| Figure | Montana | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Benchmark (second-lowest silver) plan, age 40, 2026 | $692/month (U.S. average $625) | KFF |
| Same plan, 2025 | $554/month | KFF |
| Average subsidy, 2026 | $643/month | healthinsurance.org, citing CMS |
| Average premium after subsidy, 2026 | About $107/month | healthinsurance.org, citing CMS |
The benchmark price rose about 25% in a year. The enhanced federal subsidies that had been in place since 2021 expired at the end of 2025, so some enrollees, especially those earning more than four times the poverty level, now pay much more than before. If you get insurance through work, your share of the premium is set by your employer.
Getting to care
Montana’s larger towns each have a regional hospital: Billings Clinic and St. Vincent Regional Hospital in Billings, Benefis in Great Falls, Bozeman Health Deaconess in Bozeman, Providence St. Patrick and Community Medical Center in Missoula, St. Peter’s Health in Helena, and Logan Health in Kalispell. In rural areas the nearest hospital can be a long drive away, and seeing a specialist often means a trip to one of these towns. That travel is a real cost to budget for, especially for retirees.