What are the top 10 health insurance companies in New York?
New York’s top health insurance companies operate through regional brands, national carriers, and specialized public health option providers available via the NY State of Health Marketplace.
Top Health Insurance Companies in New York
- Empire BlueCross BlueShield / Anthem – Best for downstate coverage, large provider networks, and statewide access.
- Excellus BlueCross BlueShield (and Univera Healthcare) – Best for comprehensive coverage and provider access across Upstate and Western New York.
- UnitedHealthcare (UHC) – Best for large national/local networks and employer-sponsored plan variety.
- Fidelis Care (New York Quality Healthcare Corp.) – One of the largest state-wide providers for government-sponsored plans, Medicaid, and the Essential Plan.
- Healthfirst – A prominent managed care organization specializing in low-cost and public-program coverage (Medicaid, Child Health Plus, Essential Plan) across NYC and downstate.
- CDPHP (Capital District Physicians' Health Plan) – Top-rated regional plan known for strong customer satisfaction and provider networks centered in the Capital District and surrounding counties.
- Oscar Health – Best known for tech-forward digital tools, virtual care integration, and individual ACA marketplace plans.
- MetroPlusHealth – A community-focused health plan backed by NYC Health + Hospitals offering affordable options and government programs in the New York City area.
- MVP Health Care – A regional non-profit health plan offering commercial, individual, and Medicare plans across northern and eastern New York.
- Highmark (Western and Northeastern New York) – A strong regional Blue-branded insurer delivering individual, group, and Medicare coverage in Western and Upstate New York.
What is the most popular health insurance in New York?
Empire BlueCross BlueShield (now operating as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield downstate) and Fidelis Care are among the most popular and largest health insurance providers in New York, depending on whether you look at commercial or government-sponsored public programs.
Major Health Insurance Providers in New York
- Empire BlueCross BlueShield / Anthem: The largest commercial health insurer in the state, serving millions of members with extensive employer-sponsored, individual, and Medicare options.
- Fidelis Care: One of the largest state-wide insurers [0.5 million / over a million members], highly popular for government-funded programs like Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and the NY State of Health Marketplace.
- Healthfirst: A leading managed care organization heavily utilized across the New York City metropolitan area for Medicaid, Medicare, and the Essential Plan.
- EmblemHealth: Historically very popular among municipal and union employees in New York City.
- Regional Nonprofits: Companies like CDPHP (Capital District) and Excellus BCBS (Upstate) dominate specific regional markets outside of NYC.
You can compare specific plans available in your area using the official NY State of Health Plans by County Tool.
Who are the top 5 health insurance companies?
The top 5 health insurance companies in the United States by enrollment and revenue are UnitedHealth Group, Elevance Health (formerly Anthem), CVS Health (parent of Aetna), Centene Corporation, and Humana.
Top 5 Health Insurance Companies
- UnitedHealth Group (UnitedHealthcare): The largest health insurer in the country by revenue and total membership, serving nearly 45 million members with a massive network of doctors and hospitals.
- Elevance Health: Formerly Anthem, it operates major Blue Cross Blue Shield plans across multiple states and serves over 36 million members.
- CVS Health (Aetna): Combines traditional health insurance plans through Aetna with its vast retail pharmacy and pharmacy benefit management (PBM) network.
- Centene Corporation: Focuses heavily on government-sponsored healthcare programs like Medicaid managed care and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace.
- Humana: Specializes deeply in Medicare Advantage plans, senior care, and specialty insurance products.
Which are the top 10 health insurance companies?
The top 10 health insurance companies in India for 2026, ranked by claim settlement performance, network hospital availability, and overall reliability, include prominent providers such as HDFC ERGO and Star Health.
Top 10 Health Insurance Providers
- HDFC ERGO General Insurance: Offers strong financial scale, extensive hospital networks, and dependable claim services.
- Star Health and Allied Insurance: Operates as a major standalone health specialist with a vast network of cashless hospitals.
- ICICI Lombard General Insurance: Provides broad coverage options, digital tools, and a large partner hospital base.
- Niva Bupa Health Insurance: Focuses on retail health products with customizable plans like ReAssure.
- Care Health Insurance: Features specialized mediclaim products and a wide network of support facilities.
- Aditya Birla Health Insurance: Known for wellness-focused benefits and immediate coverage support for specific conditions.
- Tata AIG General Insurance: Delivers reliable individual and group enterprise healthcare solutions.
- Bajaj Allianz General Insurance: Recognized for high customer satisfaction and strong claim settlement efficiency.
- SBI General Insurance: Backed by institutional trust with widespread rural and urban hospital tie-ups.
- New India Assurance Company Limited: A trusted public sector insurer offering cost-effective coverage choices.
What is New York's largest healthcare provider?
Northwell Health is New York State's largest healthcare provider and private employer.
Key Facts
- Scale: Operates 28 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations.
- Workforce: Employs more than 100,000 people.
- Service Area: Serves millions of people annually across New York City, Long Island, Westchester, and neighboring regions.
- Flagship Facilities: Includes major medical centers like North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center.
Best Medicare Plan in New York? Here’s How to Choose
Is Blue Cross Blue Shield better than UnitedHealthcare?
Neither Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) nor UnitedHealthcare (UHC) is universally "better"—the right choice depends entirely on your location, budget, and the specific type of plan you need.
Network and Availability
- Blue Cross Blue Shield: Operates as a network of 36 independent regional companies covering every U.S. state, serving over 100 million members. BCBS is often better for finding PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) and EPO plans with robust local doctor networks, though specific rules and costs vary greatly by state.
- UnitedHealthcare: Is the nation’s largest single health insurance provider, serving nearly 50 million members across all 50 states. UHC stands out for its massive overall provider network and extensive market share, particularly in employer-sponsored and Medicare Advantage plans (often co-branded with AARP).
Cost and Coverage
- Blue Cross Blue Shield: Generally tends to score well on overall customer satisfaction and offers strong member perks (like Blue365 wellness discounts), but it can come with higher-than-average monthly premiums.
- UnitedHealthcare: Often provides more competitive pricing or lower-cost plan options and advanced digital tools, but some users report a higher frequency of claim denials and more difficult prior-authorization hurdles.
What is the least expensive health insurance in NY?
The least expensive health insurance in New York for qualifying lower-income residents is the New York Essential Plan or Medicaid, both of which feature $0 monthly premiums and $0 deductibles.
Free and Low-Cost Public Options
- Medicaid: Free for individuals earning below specific low-income thresholds (e.g., under roughly $22,025 for a single person).
- Essential Plan: Free ($0 monthly premium) for lower-income adults aged 19 to 64 who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but fall within income limits (up to $31,920 for an individual in 2026). You can read more about these options on the New York Essential Plans FAQ.
- Child Health Plus: Free or very low-cost coverage for children under 19 who do not qualify for Medicaid, based on household income.
Least Expensive Private Marketplace Plans
If you do not qualify for zero-premium state plans, private insurance costs depend heavily on your income, age, and county.
- Ambetter from Fidelis Care generally offers the most affordable private Bronze-tier plans across most of New York State, with baseline monthly rates starting around $434 before tax credits or financial assistance.
- MVP Health Care and Healthfirst also offer competitive regional and lower-cost options on the exchange.
- Financial help and tax credits can significantly lower these private plan costs if you apply through the official state marketplace. You can explore estimates using the NY State of Health Cost Estimator.
Which health insurance company denies the most claims?
Oscar Health denied the highest percentage of in-network Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace claims nationally at approximately 25.3%, according to federal transparency data.
Highest Claim Denial Rates
Recent federal data for major national ACA marketplace insurers shows the following denial rates:
- Oscar Health: 25.3% denial rate
- Molina Healthcare: 22% denial rate
- Ambetter (Celtic): 21% denial rate
- Cigna: 21% denial rate
- UnitedHealthcare: 20% denial rate (down from 33% previously)
- Kaiser Permanente: ~6% denial rate (lowest among major carriers)
Common Reasons for Denials
- Administrative issues: Errors in paperwork or coding.
- Lack of prior authorization: Treatments performed without prior approval.
- Medical necessity: The insurer decides the care is not required.
What is the best company to get health insurance?
Kaiser Permanente is widely ranked as the best overall health insurance company in the United States for its high customer satisfaction, affordability, and integrated care model.
Because health insurance availability depends heavily on your location and whether you buy through an employer or a state marketplace, other top national carriers excel in specific areas:
Top Health Insurance Providers
- Kaiser Permanente: Best overall and best for affordability, though its HMO plans are limited to select states.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield: Best for nationwide PPO network access and overall plan variety across all 50 states.
- UnitedHealthcare: Best for massive provider networks and employer-sponsored coverage.
- Oscar Health: Best for digital-first tools, virtual care, and value-driven individual marketplace plans.
- Aetna (CVS Health): Best for low consumer complaints and convenient access to retail clinic locations.
What is the #1 health insurance in America?
UnitedHealth Group is the #1 health insurance company in America by size, market share, and enrollment.
Largest Insurers by Size
- UnitedHealth Group (UnitedHealthcare): The largest overall provider in the U.S., controlling over 16% of the market with tens of millions of enrolled members.
- Elevance Health (formerly Anthem): The second-largest health insurer by enrollment, managing major Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in multiple states.
- CVS Health (Aetna): A massive national carrier offering diverse employer, individual, and group coverage.
Top Rated for Customer Satisfaction
If "number one" means quality and member satisfaction rather than sheer size, Kaiser Permanente is frequently ranked as the #1 best overall health plan by publications like Insure.com and Investopedia for its high customer satisfaction, integrated care model, and affordability. Another major top-tier network with massive nationwide coverage is Blue Cross Blue Shield.