Ranked 5 of 15 states · median $687/mo · CMS PY2026
Licensed Independent Agent · NPN #22052447 · 21 States
A 40-year-old general contractor 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 highest out-of-pocket maximum, Wisconsin ranks 15 of 15 for this occupation.
Injury exposure means the number that matters is the out-of-pocket maximum, not the premium. A single ER visit and follow-up can hit that ceiling in one month, so these pages rank states by worst-case annual exposure rather than by monthly cost.
Occupational context: Falls, struck-by injuries, and heavy-equipment exposure.
This is background for choosing a plan, not for pricing one. Since 2014 every Wisconsin exchange plan has been guaranteed issue and community rated: same age, same ZIP, same tobacco status means the same filed premium whether you are a general contractor or an accountant. Occupation changes the shopping criteria, nothing else.
Premium is set by rating area, so a general contractor 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Langlade | $633 | Security | $6,000 | 2 |
| Milwaukee | $642 | Network Health | $6,000 | 3 |
| Douglas | $656 | Medica | $3,500 | 4 |
| Jackson | $683 | Medica | $3,500 | 4 |
| Pepin | $731 | Security | $6,000 | 4 |
| Waushara | $526 | Network Health | $6,000 | 4 |
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 — worst-case exposure | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Lowest annual out-of-pocket maximum | $0 |
| Highest annual out-of-pocket maximum | $0 |
| Cheapest Gold plan @40 | $531 — Group Health Cooperative-SCW |
| Gold deductible | $1,500 |
| Cheapest Silver @40 | $526 — Network Health |
| Cheapest Silver @50 | $735 |
For a general contractor, the gap between $0 and $0 in annual out-of-pocket maximum is worth more than any premium difference on this page. One serious injury reaches that ceiling regardless of which plan you picked.
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 general contractor 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.
Expense categories that typically apply to this trade: Tools, truck, liability insurance, bonding, licensing. Premiums are generally deductible above the line under IRC §162(l) when no employer plan is available to you or your spouse — a question for your CPA, not your agent.
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. Wisconsin exchange plans are guaranteed issue and community rated, so a general contractor pays exactly what anyone else of the same age in the same ZIP pays. Occupation is not on the application as a rating factor.
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 General Contractors in Wisconsin and a blog covering deductibles, subsidies and special enrollment.