Alaska health insurance questions, answered.

Medical care costs more in Alaska, and the individual market is small, so a few large claims can move prices for everyone. KFF reports the 2026 average benchmark Silver premium for a 40-year-old at $1,032 a month, far above the U.S. average of $625. Premium tax credits can lower that a lot if your income qualifies.

Open enrollment runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Pick a plan and pay your first premium by December 15 if you want coverage to start January 1. Signing up later in the window means a February 1 start.

Insurers asked for big increases for 2027. Premera requested about 26.6% and Moda about 9.3%, and the Division of Insurance reviews those requests before approving final rates. The Division has pointed to the loss of the extra federal tax credits as a main driver.

It depends on your household income. Since the extra credits ended after 2025, you get no premium tax credit if your income is above 400% of the poverty level. Below that line, the credit can be large in Alaska because full-price premiums are so high.

Yes. Alaska has its own, higher poverty guidelines. For 2027 coverage, 400% of the Alaska figure is about $79,800 for one person and about $108,200 for a couple.

Starting January 2027, many Alaska Medicaid expansion adults ages 19 to 64 will need to show about 80 hours a month of work, training, school or volunteering, or qualify for an exemption. Renewals may also come every six months. The state's Department of Health lists the exemptions.

Yes. Alaska sets no state limit on how long these plans can last, and federal officials stopped enforcing the four-month federal cap in August 2025. As of 2026, Moda Health sells short-term plans in Alaska with terms of up to 90 days.

Usually not. Short-term plans do not follow ACA rules, so they can review your health history and exclude conditions you already have. A Marketplace plan cannot turn you down or charge you more because of your health.

No. Tax credits only apply to Marketplace plans. If you qualify for a credit, a Marketplace plan may cost you less than a short-term plan and cover far more.

Two: Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska and Moda Health. Premera sells in every part of the state, and Moda sells in the larger population areas.

The Alaska Reinsurance Program pays part of the costliest claims, which lets insurers set lower full-price premiums for everyone in the individual market. It began in 2018, and the current federal waiver runs through December 31, 2027.

Full-price premiums fell slightly on average for 2026, about 1.1%, and KFF found Alaska was the only state where the average benchmark premium dropped. But what people actually paid rose, from an average of $223 a month in 2025 to $344 in 2026, because the extra tax credits ended.