If you own an established heating and cooling business in Utah and this year's full-price premium went up, let's compare it with a nationwide PPO. That coverage is still available, and here's how HVAC owners along the Wasatch Front are weighing their choices.
Hi, I'm Sam Jaber. I'm licensed in Utah, I focus exclusively on health insurance, and we can handle the whole process over the phone.
Running an HVAC business along the Wasatch Front means staying busy in both extremes of the year. Between Layton and Ogden, freezing winters and valley inversions put furnaces to work, while hot, dry summers bring plenty of AC calls. If you've spent years building maintenance accounts throughout Davis and Weber counties, your business may now earn enough to put your family outside the federal premium credit range. That success has a downside when renewal arrives, especially this year. The increase can catch even a well-established owner off guard.
If your HVAC business is established and your family is healthy, I'd be happy to price a nationwide PPO for you. You can still buy one in Utah.
HealthCare.gov isn't where you'll find that PPO. For 2026, Utah has 57 individual medical marketplace plans offered by 6 insurers. Of those, 37 are HMOs and 20 are EPOs, with no PPO available. Davis County gets 44 plans from 4 insurers, while Weber County gets 38 from 4. That's a lot to compare, but these networks generally exclude ordinary care from outside providers. A PPO is different: you can see out-of-network doctors without a referral, although your share of the cost is higher. Private plans that consider your medical history when setting rates can provide that flexibility through nationwide networks.
According to KFF, Utah's average benchmark marketplace premium for a 40-year-old increased 17.0% between 2025 and 2026. Once your household income exceeds the federal premium credit range, the entire increase falls on you. For an HVAC business owner, income here means profit, not total sales. Start with revenue and subtract expenses such as trucks, equipment, parts, refrigerant, licensing, insurance and payroll to see where your household stands.
When your family is healthy and you're paying the entire premium for coverage tied to one network, it's worth checking alternatives. I'm not suggesting you leave the marketplace just to leave it. I want to see whether your premium dollars could get your family coverage that's more useful to you.
If that sounds like your situation, this is the comparison I want to walk you through:
A network that reaches across the country can be useful when you're traveling or when your child goes to college outside Utah.
Next step: Tell me who's covered and their ages, which county you're in, and what your marketplace renewal costs. I'll put the options side by side.
Business income can change quickly. If a slow summer or mild winter brings your household back into the federal credit range, a marketplace plan using that credit will generally cost the least. At 138% of the federal poverty level or less, you may instead qualify under Utah's Medicaid expansion. Remember that workers' comp for your technicians covers workplace injuries, not sickness. Track your shop's profit throughout the year so you can report an income change promptly and adjust your coverage accordingly.
Next step: If the year's earnings start looking weaker, give me a call and we'll calculate your options again.
Straight answers, no sales pitch.
KFF says Utah's average benchmark marketplace premium increased 17.0% for a 40-year-old between 2025 and 2026.
Not through Utah's medical marketplace. All 57 plans offered for 2026 are HMOs or EPOs. If you're a healthy business owner, I can help you buy a private nationwide PPO.
I wouldn't promise that. Your family's ages and medical histories matter, as does the plan we're comparing. That's why I quote both before recommending anything.
It might, but I'd need to know the specifics first. Tell me about the medication, and I'll compare how the nationwide PPO and marketplace plans cover it, including their prices.
Tell me your county, the ages of everyone needing coverage, and your new monthly premium. You can also forward the renewal notice. I'll compare a nationwide PPO quote with the marketplace choices and give you my honest opinion on which I'd keep.
The guide for every state, and other work I help with