Ranked 5 of 15 states · median $687/mo · CMS PY2026
Licensed Independent Agent · NPN #22052447 · 21 States
A 40-year-old barber in Wisconsin pays a median $687/month for a Silver plan before subsidies — 5th of 15 on cost. The cheapest plan in the state is $526 from Network Health in Calumet. On median Silver premium, Wisconsin ranks 5 of 15 for this occupation.
When you use coverage regularly, the annual total is driven by what each visit costs and whether the clinician you already see is contracted. A plan $40 cheaper that drops your specialist is not cheaper. These rankings pair median premium with how many carriers actually file in the state.
Occupational context: Repetitive shoulder/wrist strain; prolonged standing; chemical exposure.
Worth being clear about what this does and does not affect: a carrier in Wisconsin cannot ask what you do for a living, cannot charge a barber more than a librarian of the same age in the same ZIP, and cannot exclude anything you were already treated for. Occupation only tells you which plan structure to shop for.
Premium is set by rating area, so a barber in one Wisconsin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest | $633 | Security | $6,000 | 3 |
| Trempealeau | $637 | Quartz | $8,000 | 3 |
| Bayfield | $656 | Medica | $3,500 | 3 |
| Buffalo | $683 | Medica | $3,500 | 4 |
| Eau Claire | $731 | Security | $6,000 | 3 |
| Waupaca | $526 | Network Health | $6,000 | 3 |
The spread across just these six is $205/month — $2,459 a year for the same metal tier. Statewide the range runs $526 to $1,062. Coverage by County publishes all 72 Wisconsin counties individually.
| Wisconsin — network and cost | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Median Silver premium @40 | $687 |
| Cheapest Silver @40 | $526 — Network Health (Calumet) |
| Most expensive Silver @40 | $1,062 |
| Carriers filing in the state | 12 — Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Aspirus, CareSource (Common Ground Healthcare), Dean |
| Plan types available | EPO, HMO, POS, PPO |
| Counties with only one carrier | 1 of 72 |
Wisconsin has 12 carriers filing and 1 of 72 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. 2,651 plan records across 72 Wisconsin counties. Full-price filed rates before premium tax credits — verify at enrollment.
Cheaper for the same coverage: Ohio ($625), South Carolina ($636), Alabama ($680). More expensive: Michigan ($708), South Dakota ($725), Oklahoma ($731).
Side-by-side: Wisconsin vs South Carolina · Wisconsin vs Alabama · Wisconsin vs Michigan · Wisconsin vs South Dakota
A caveat on the table above: rating is by residence, not by job site. A barber living in Wisconsin and working across a state line still buys Wisconsin plans. A genuine permanent move does trigger a special enrollment period, but the plan year restarts with a fresh deductible.
Deduction categories that generally fit this trade: Chair rental, clippers, products, licensing. Note the ordering problem with health premiums: the §162(l) deduction lowers your AGI, and your AGI is what sets your premium tax credit, so the two calculate against each other. That is a CPA conversation and worth having before you enroll, not after.
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 Wisconsin is $526 per month from Network Health, with a state median of $687. Both figures are full price before premium tax credits; most buyers pay less after subsidies.
No. Under the ACA, carriers cannot rate, decline, or exclude based on occupation or health history. Rates vary only by age, ZIP code, tobacco use and household size.
Yes. Plan types filed for 2026: EPO, HMO, POS, PPO.
Wisconsin ranks 5 of 15 states covered here, at a median $687 per month. Indiana is cheapest at $558 and Nebraska is most expensive at $875.
This page compares states. For Wisconsin specifically — county-by-county carriers, plan data and enrollment help — I publish that on Coverage by County, including a page written for Barbers in Wisconsin and a blog covering deductibles, subsidies and special enrollment.