Best Alabama Health Insurance (2024 Plans)
Blue Cross Blue Shield offers the best health insurance in Alabama. MoneyGeek’s review of the health insurance companies in 2024 evaluated age, maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) costs, plan flexibility and claims management.
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By Mark Fitzpatrick
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Head of Insurance, MoneyGeek
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](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/15/cant-keep-up-with-insurance-premiums-heres-what-to-do.html), [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/flooded-cars-are-problem-their-owners-future-car-buyers-n1278493) and [Mashable](https://mashable.com/article/tesla-insurance-rates). 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.
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Edited by Katherine Kurtz, PhD
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Katherine Kurtz, PhD
Katherine Kurtz, Ph.D., is the Managing Editor at MoneyGeek, with 15 years of experience in academic and content editing. She holds a doctorate in philosophy from Villanova University, where she also worked as an adjunct professor and the managing editor of *Hypatia*, a peer-reviewed feminist philosophy journal. Kurtz believes in "education as a practice of freedom" (bell hooks) and seeks to empower herself and others by openly sharing financial knowledge and resources.
MF
By Mark Fitzpatrick
MF
Head of Insurance, MoneyGeek
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](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/15/cant-keep-up-with-insurance-premiums-heres-what-to-do.html), [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/flooded-cars-are-problem-their-owners-future-car-buyers-n1278493) and [Mashable](https://mashable.com/article/tesla-insurance-rates). 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.
KP
Edited by Katherine Kurtz, PhD
KP
Katherine Kurtz, PhD
Katherine Kurtz, Ph.D., is the Managing Editor at MoneyGeek, with 15 years of experience in academic and content editing. She holds a doctorate in philosophy from Villanova University, where she also worked as an adjunct professor and the managing editor of *Hypatia*, a peer-reviewed feminist philosophy journal. Kurtz believes in "education as a practice of freedom" (bell hooks) and seeks to empower herself and others by openly sharing financial knowledge and resources.
Updated: September 5, 2024
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Best Health Insurance in Alabama
Best Overall in Alabama - Blue Cross Blue Shield Best for Low MOOP - Blue Cross Blue Shield Best Cheap - Blue Cross Blue Shield Best for Low Income - UnitedHealthcare Best for Young Adults - Blue Cross Blue Shield Best for PPO - Blue Cross Blue Shield Best Short-Term Insurance - National General Accident & Health MethodologyWhy Trust MoneyGeek? We downloaded plan data for Alabama 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.
51 Plans Analyzed 6 Providers ComparedBlue Cross Blue Shield, with a MoneyGeek score of 88 out of 100, offers the best health insurance in Alabama. Blue Cross Blue Shield excels in providing affordable health plan options that keep out-of-pocket costs low. This provider smoothly manages claims and rarely denies them.
We used data from 15 Silver Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO) plans and five Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans to determine the best health insurance in Alabama.
Highly affordable premium rates
Low out-of-pocket costs
Denies very few claims
Offers a large variety of plans
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) is MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Alabama. The provider offers five Silver PPO plans and two unique Silver EPO plans at an average plan rate of $501 per month. The average MOOP cost for these plans is $8,463.
BCBS's Silver PPO plans come with an added benefit of more out-of-network coverage. This provider's EPO plans are also recommended due to their uncomplicated structure, as they do not require referrals for specialists. BCBS has a denial rate score of 17%, lower than much of the competition.
Plan Recommendations
MoneyGeek recommends the following Silver plans from Blue Cross Blue Shield:
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) is the leading health insurance provider in Alabama for low out-of-pocket costs, with a MoneyGeek score of 96 out of 100. BCBS performs well in several key areas. The provider offers a choice of affordable plan options, maintains low out-of-pocket costs and is less likely to deny claims than other providers in Alabama.
For this analysis, we evaluated a total of 13 plans: six Gold EPO plans, six Gold PPO plans and one Platinum PPO plan.
Offers affordable premium rates
Out-of-pocket costs are lower than competitors
Denies very few claims
Many different types of plans available
MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in Alabama for low out-of-pocket costs is Blue Cross Blue Shield. It offers six Gold PPO plans and one Platinum PPO plan, metal tiers known for their lower MOOP costs. These plans have an average rate of $534 per month and an average MOOP cost of $6,089.
PPO plans typically offer more out-of-network coverage, meaning that BCBS provides consumers with a broader range of doctors and hospitals to choose from. BCBS also has a denial rate of 17% — lower than most of the competition — so there's a good chance your claims will be accepted.
Plan Recommendations
MoneyGeek recommends the following Gold and Platinum plans:
Blue Cross Blue Shield is the highest rated cheap health insurance provider in Alabama, earning a score of 92 out of 100. BCBS offers more affordable plan options with a lower average for out-of-pocket expenses, and denies fewer claims than the majority of other providers.
For this category, MoneyGeek evaluated 20 Silver plans in Alabama. This included 15 Silver EPO plans and five Silver PPO plans. Although we focused on plans with lower monthly premiums, it's worth noting that plans with lower premiums often have higher out-of-pocket costs.
Affordable premium rates
Very low out-of-pocket costs
Denies fewer claims than average
Many plan types to choose from
MoneyGeek's top pick for the best cheap health insurance in Alabama is Blue Cross Blue Shield. It offers seven different Silver plans, giving consumers several budget-friendly options for their health care. These Silver BCBS plans average $434 per month, with an $8,137 average maximum out-of-pocket cost.
Among the Silver plans BCBS offers, both PPO and EPO types are available. Its five PPO plans tend to offer more out-of-network coverage, whereas its two EPO plans may offer lower out-of-pocket costs when you stay within the network.
BCBS has a denial rate of 17%, much lower than the highest denial rate in our analysis (35%). This is good for customers looking to receive reliable coverage.
Plan Recommendations
MoneyGeek recommends the following cheap Silver plans:
The best health insurance in Alabama for those with low income is provided by UnitedHealthcare, scoring 58 out of 100. UnitedHealthcare highlights include affordable plan options with lower-than-average rates. However, this company has significantly higher out-of-pocket costs and a higher percentage of claim denials than other providers.
For this category, we looked at Silver plans with eligible cost-sharing reductions (CSRs). In Alabama, we evaluated 18 such plans: 15 EPO and three PPO.
To offer the best option for those with low income, we weighted Silver CSR plans based on low monthly premiums, which offers a way to avoid the choice between low premiums and high out-of-pocket costs. A standard Silver plan takes care of approximately 70% of health care costs, but Silver plans with CSRs cover varying percentages based on income:
Keep in mind, these income brackets shift depending on the number of people in a household.
