Most marketplace plans cover other states only in emergencies; 7 of 17 HealthCare.gov states here had no PPO in 2026. State by state, and what works everywhere.
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Short answer: only partly. Marketplace plans are sold one state at a time, and most are HMOs or EPOs, which cover care in another state only in an emergency. In 7 of the 17 HealthCare.gov states covered here, not one marketplace plan was a PPO in 2026: Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. A Blue Cross PPO can use other Blue companies’ networks through BlueCard, and the private plans a licensed agent here places use the UnitedHealthcare or PHCS PPO network, which reaches every state.
Emergencies only. Every ACA plan must cover emergency care anywhere, without prior approval and at in-network cost-sharing. A routine visit, a specialist or a planned surgery in another state is usually yours to pay in full.
Some out-of-network care, usually with a separate, higher deductible. Read the plan’s summary before you count on it.
Pays for out-of-network care at a higher share. Blue Cross PPO members can use the BlueCard PPO network of other Blue companies at in-network rates.
UnitedHealthcare or PHCS PPO providers in every state. The main private plan pays the same set amount in or out of network, with no deductible, and asks health questions.
How many of each state’s 2026 marketplace plans were PPOs, where they were sold, and who sold them. The other plans are HMOs, EPOs or POS plans.
| State | PPO plans | Counties with a PPO | Insurers selling a PPO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 9 of 53 | all 67 | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama |
| Arkansas | 27 of 51 | all 75 | Ambetter and Arkansas Blue Cross |
| Colorado | State-run marketplace: check each plan’s network type | ||
| Florida | 14 of 408 | all 67 | Florida Blue |
| Georgia | Alliant is the only PPO insurer on Georgia Access | ||
| Illinois | State-run marketplace: check each plan’s network type | ||
| Indiana | 0 of 79 | — | None |
| Kansas | 0 of 63 | — | None |
| Maryland | CareFirst is the only PPO insurer; every other insurer sells HMOs | ||
| Michigan | 8 of 112 | all 83 | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan |
| Mississippi | 0 of 48 | — | None |
| Nebraska | 9 of 164 | 34 of 93 | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska |
| Nevada | State-run marketplace: check each plan’s network type | ||
| North Carolina | 9 of 206 | 90 of 100 | Blue Cross NC |
| Ohio | 0 of 189 | — | None |
| Oklahoma | 121 of 180 | all 77 | Ambetter, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, Medica and Oscar |
| South Carolina | 9 of 125 | all 46 | BlueCross BlueShield of SC |
| South Dakota | 30 of 63 | all 66 | Avera and Sanford |
| Tennessee | 0 of 158 | — | None |
| Texas | 0 of 805 | — | None |
| Utah | 0 of 57 | — | None |
| Virginia | State-run marketplace: check each plan’s network type | ||
| Wisconsin | 16 of 304 | 15 of 72 | HealthPartners |
Bars: share of each HealthCare.gov state’s 2026 marketplace plans that are PPOs (catastrophic plans left out). The six state-run marketplaces are not in the federal file.
The marketplace sells you a plan in the state that is your primary place of living: where you live and rent or own a home, work, or go to school. A state you visit for vacation, or stay in only for medical treatment, does not count. If people in one tax household live in different states, each can apply in their own state or in the state of any tax filer in the household. A student can apply in the school’s state or stay on a parent’s plan up to age 26.
So someone who lives in two states still buys one state’s plan, and that plan’s network is built around that state.
Age 40 in Texas, before health questions. The private plan covers less than an ACA plan and asks about your health; the marketplace price is before any tax credit.
a national network, without the full price
Split your year between two states?
Send your ZIP code. A licensed agent compares your home state’s plans with private plans on a national PPO network. Free, no obligation.
See my options →“I don’t know why I was paying so much for my BCBS plan. I wasn’t even using it, maybe because the brand has such a big network, but now I pay half as much and I don’t have a deductible.”
The insurance company pays the agent, never you, and the premium is the same either way.
One licensed agent, NPN #22052447, who sells marketplace and private plans, so you hear about both.
Your ZIP code is the only thing needed to see what is available where you live.
Only for emergencies, if it is a marketplace HMO or EPO. A PPO pays something for out-of-network care, and Blue Cross PPOs can use the BlueCard network in other states. Private plans on the UnitedHealthcare or PHCS network have providers in every state.
Yes. A PPO with a national network, such as a Blue Cross PPO with BlueCard or a private plan on the UnitedHealthcare or PHCS PPO network, works across states. In 7 of the 17 HealthCare.gov states covered here, no marketplace plan was a PPO in 2026.
Yes. Federal rules make every ACA plan cover emergency care anywhere, without prior approval and at in-network cost-sharing. Follow-up care after the emergency is a different matter on an HMO or EPO.
No. The marketplace sells a plan in your primary place of living, so you pick one state.
General information, not a quote or an offer of coverage. Private plans are medically underwritten: they ask health questions, can decline or exclude a condition, are not ACA coverage and get no tax credit. Daniel Griffin, licensed independent agent, NPN #22052447, is not tied to any single carrier and not affiliated with the U.S. government.
Send the ZIP where you live most of the year. A licensed agent compares your home state’s plans with private plans on a national PPO network and tells you which fits. It costs nothing, and you deal with a licensed agent, not a call center.
What You Pay Above the Subsidy Cliff, State by State · Health Insurance Comparison Chart by State · Health Insurance Rating Areas, State by State · Health Insurance Premiums by Age, State by State · Insurers Leaving the ACA Marketplace in 2027 · Cheapest States for Health Insurance 2026 — All 51 Jurisdictions · Cheapest States for Health Insurance (2026) · 7 States With No PPO Plans · Where One Insurer Controls the Market · The Age Curve, State by State · Where Your County Matters Most · Carrier Competition by State
Enter the ZIP where you live most of the year. A licensed agent compares your home state’s plans with private plans on a national PPO network that works in every state.
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“I run my own business and my time is valuable. Daniel handled everything — compared the private options, explained what I was actually getting, and had me covered fast. Way better experience than trying to navigate it myself.”