Ranked 11 of 15 states · median $805/mo · CMS PY2026
Licensed Independent Agent · NPN #22052447 · 21 States
A 40-year-old barber in Utah pays a median $805/month for a Silver plan before subsidies — 11th of 15 on cost. The cheapest plan in the state is $559 from Select Health in Davis. On median Silver premium, Utah ranks 11 of 15 for this occupation.
Patient-facing and on-your-feet work produces steady, predictable claims — routine visits, refills, physical therapy, the occasional urgent care. That profile is decided by copay design and by whether your providers are in network, not by the sticker premium, so carrier count sits alongside cost below.
Occupational context: Repetitive shoulder/wrist strain; prolonged standing; chemical exposure.
Two things get confused here constantly. Risk exposure decides what coverage you should buy. It does not decide what you are charged — Utah carriers rate on age, ZIP, tobacco and family size, full stop. A barber with a bad back and a healthy 40-year-old office worker in the same county see the same number.
Premium is set by rating area, so a barber in one Utah county can pay materially more than one an hour away. Six counties from across the state, cheapest Silver plan for a 40-year-old:
| County | Cheapest Silver @40 | Issuer | Deductible | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box Elder | $602 | Select Health | $5,900 | 4 |
| Duchesne | $798 | Select Health | $6,000 | 4 |
| Piute | $798 | Select Health | $6,000 | 2 |
| Washington | $885 | Select Health | $6,000 | 3 |
| Weber | $587 | Select Health | $5,900 | 4 |
| Daggett | $798 | Select Health | $6,000 | 4 |
The spread across just these six is $298/month — $3,570 a year for the same metal tier. Statewide the range runs $559 to $1,125. Coverage by County publishes all 29 Utah counties individually.
| Utah — network and cost | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Median Silver premium @40 | $805 |
| Cheapest Silver @40 | $559 — Select Health (Davis) |
| Most expensive Silver @40 | $1,125 |
| Carriers filing in the state | 6 — BridgeSpan Health, Imperial Health Plan of the Southwest, Molina Healthcare, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah |
| Plan types available | EPO, HMO |
| Counties with only one carrier | 1 of 29 |
Utah has 6 carriers filing and 1 of 29 counties served by a single issuer. For a barber with an established provider relationship, that carrier count is the number that decides whether you keep your doctor.
Source: CMS Plan Year 2026 Qualified Health Plan Landscape file. 699 plan records across 29 Utah counties. Full-price filed rates before premium tax credits — verify at enrollment.
Cheaper for the same coverage: Oklahoma ($731), Kansas ($765), Florida ($789). More expensive: Texas ($807), North Carolina ($828), Arkansas ($828).
Side-by-side: Utah vs Kansas · Utah vs Florida · Utah vs Texas · Utah vs North Carolina
Cross-state numbers are useful for understanding whether Utah is treating you well, not for arbitrage. You cannot buy an out-of-state exchange plan. If you are a barber weighing a relocation for other reasons, the premium difference is a real line item worth putting in the decision.
If you file a Schedule C as a barber, the categories that usually show up are: Chair rental, clippers, products, licensing. The health premium itself is normally an above-the-line deduction under IRC §162(l), which reduces AGI rather than requiring you to itemize. Your CPA should confirm it against your actual situation.
If your household income is above the subsidy range, ACA is not automatically the answer. There are other categories of coverage that may fit, and they work very differently. That is a conversation, not a web page.
The cheapest Silver plan for a 40-year-old in Utah is $559 per month from Select Health, with a state median of $805. Both figures are full price before premium tax credits; most buyers pay less after subsidies.
It cannot happen on an exchange plan. Rating in Utah uses four inputs only: age, ZIP code, tobacco use and how many people are on the policy. Trade, injury history and pre-existing conditions are all excluded from pricing by law.
No. Only EPO and HMO plans were filed for 2026.
Utah ranks 11 of 15 states covered here, at a median $805 per month. Indiana is cheapest at $558 and Nebraska is most expensive at $875.
This page compares states. For Utah specifically — county-by-county carriers, plan data and enrollment help — I publish that on Coverage by County, including a page written for Barbers in Utah and a blog covering deductibles, subsidies and special enrollment.