- 4carriers selling 2026 marketplace plans in Polk County
- 58plans on the Polk shelf, from 21 bronze to 16 gold
- $459benchmark silver for a 40 year old in Polk, full price per month
Who sells marketplace plans in Polk County
Polk County has more carriers than Linn County, the other Iowa county I track, four against three. Across all 79 counties and parishes I track in 24 states, 51 have more carriers than Polk. The biggest lineup in Polk belongs to Oscar with 20 plans, about 34 percent of everything on offer.
| Carrier | Plans | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Network types |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OscarOscar Insurance Company | 20 | 7 | 8 | 3 | EPO 20 |
| Ambetter Health | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | HMO 16 |
| Medica Leaving for 2027 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | EPO 12 |
| WellmarkWellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | HMO 10 |
Polk plan counts from the CMS 2026 landscape file (county FIPS 19153, Rating Area 2). Bronze includes expanded bronze, and companies CMS lists under more than one legal issuer are grouped with the legal names underneath.
Leaving Polk County for 2027
Medica sells 12 of the 58 plans in Polk County this year. Medica is leaving the Iowa individual marketplace for 2027. After that exit, three carriers are left from the 2026 Polk lineup: Oscar, Ambetter Health and Wellmark. If you are enrolled with Medica in Polk, you will get a notice this fall. If you do nothing you are moved to a replacement plan picked on price and metal level, and nothing in that process checks your doctors or prescriptions.
What it costs in Polk County before any subsidy
These are the full monthly prices, before any premium tax credit, for the cheapest Polk plan at each metal level. I show the sticker price because it is what your subsidy is subtracted from, and most people who enroll in Polk pay less, often a lot less.
| Monthly premium, full price | Age 21 | Age 40 | Age 60 | Couple, both 40 | Couple 40 + 2 kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest bronze | $268 | $343 | $728 | $685 | $1,095 |
| Lowest silver | $358 | $458 | $972 | $916 | $1,464 |
| Benchmark silver (second lowest) | $359 | $459 | $975 | $918 | $1,468 |
| Lowest gold | $338 | $432 | $917 | $864 | $1,381 |
Benchmark silver is the second lowest of the 19 silver premiums listed for Polk. The last column is two adults aged 40 plus two children.
What these numbers mean if you live in Polk County
The gold row is the surprise in Polk County. The cheapest gold plan for a 40 year old, $432 a month, is $26 cheaper than the cheapest silver plan at $458. That happens because Iowa carriers load the cost of the extra silver discounts into silver premiums. If your income is too high for those discounts, silver is the worst value on the Polk shelf, and a gold deductible here tops out at $2,500.
In Polk County the benchmark is $116 above the cheapest bronze at age 40, and seven of the other 78 counties and parishes I track have a narrower one. That gap decides whether bronze can be free, because your subsidy is the $459 benchmark minus what the government expects you to pay from your income. A 40 year old in Polk whose expected share is $116 a month or less would pay nothing for the cheapest bronze. At 60 the Polk gap grows to $247 and at 21 it shrinks to $91, which is why older enrollees are the ones most likely to find a $0 plan.
Linn County, around Cedar Rapids, is the other Iowa county I track. Compared with Linn County, the Polk benchmark is $31 lower at 40 and the cheapest bronze is $10 lower. Oscar sells in Polk and not in Linn County.
Polk plans by metal level, network and deductible
| Metal level | Plans | $0 deductible | Deductible range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | 2 | 0 | |
| Expanded Bronze | 21 | 3 | $0 to $8,450 |
| Silver | 19 | 0 | $3,500 to $6,500 |
| Gold | 16 | 0 | $550 to $2,500 |
| Total | 58 | 3 |
There is not a single PPO on the 2026 marketplace in Polk County. The 58 plans split into 32 EPO and 26 HMO. Outside emergencies, the 32 EPO and 26 HMO plans in Polk generally pay nothing out of network, so the network list matters more than the premium. 3 plans in Polk have a $0 medical deductible (3 expanded bronze). The 3 bronze ones among them still have out of pocket maximums of $10,500 to $10,600, so a $0 deductible does not mean a small bill.
Every Polk price on this page is before subsidies, and most enrollees pay less. For a 40 year old in Polk the premium tax credit is measured against the $459 benchmark. Estimate your own subsidy, or send me your ZIP and I will run the Polk numbers for you.
2027 plans for Polk County
These are the 2026 plans and prices for Polk County. The 2027 plans and prices are published around November 1, 2026, and I will update this page with the new Polk numbers then. Open enrollment for 2027 coverage in Iowa runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027, and December 15 is the last day to pick a plan that starts January 1.
Questions about Polk County coverage
How many health insurance companies sell marketplace plans in Polk County, Iowa?
For 2026, four carriers sell individual marketplace plans in Polk County: Oscar, Ambetter Health, Medica and Wellmark. Together they offer 58 plans across the metal levels, according to the CMS plan landscape file.
What is the cheapest health insurance in Polk County?
At full price before any subsidy, the cheapest bronze plan in Polk County is $268 a month for a 21 year old, $343 at 40 and $728 at 60. In Polk a couple both aged 40 pays $685 for the cheapest bronze, and two 40 year olds with two children pay $1,095. Catastrophic plans in Polk, open only to people under 30 or with a hardship exemption, start at $238 at age 21. Most people in Polk who qualify for a premium tax credit pay less than these prices.
What is the benchmark silver plan premium in Polk County for 2026?
The second lowest cost silver plan, the benchmark your subsidy is calculated from, is $459 a month for a 40 year old in Polk County before subsidies. In Polk it is $359 at age 21 and $975 at age 60, and the lowest silver plan is $458 at 40.
Which insurance companies are leaving Polk County for 2027?
Medica is leaving the Iowa individual marketplace for 2027. In 2026 it sells 12 plans in Polk County. Three carriers from the 2026 Polk lineup remain: Oscar, Ambetter Health and Wellmark. The full 2027 lineup and prices are published around November 1, 2026.
Can I get a PPO plan in Polk County?
Not on the 2026 marketplace. All 58 plans in Polk County are HMO or EPO plans. 3 of them have a $0 medical deductible, and the cheapest gold plan for a 40 year old in Polk is $432 a month before subsidies.
More for Polk County residents
- Health insurance brokers in Iowa, how to choose one and what it costs
- Every 2027 carrier change in Iowa
- How Polk compares with the other 78 counties and parishes I track
- Estimate a Polk subsidy
Get your Polk County quote
Send me your ZIP and who needs coverage and I will compare every Polk plan you qualify for with your subsidy applied, free and with no pressure.
Get my free quote → Or book a callSources
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, QHP Landscape Individual Market Medical, plan year 2026 (public use file), Polk County rows
- HealthCare.gov, Health plan information for individuals and families
- ACA Signups, Iowa 2027 rate filings and carrier withdrawals
- healthinsurance.org, ACA open enrollment deadlines