ICHRA savings in New Mexico
6 New Mexico counties price individual coverage below small group. Employers there save up to $915 per employee per year.
Last updated: August 16, 2026 · plan-year 2026, lowest-cost silver (age 50), same year both markets.
Top New Mexico counties by savings
Monthly benchmark premiums: individual vs small group, 2026 plan year.
| County | Individual /mo | Small group /mo | You save | Annual / employee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bernalillo County | $615 | $691 | 11% | $915 |
| Sandoval County | $615 | $691 | 11% | $915 |
| Torrance County | $615 | $691 | 11% | $915 |
| Valencia County | $615 | $691 | 11% | $915 |
| San Juan County | $788 | $855 | 7.9% | $806 |
| Santa Fe County | $700 | $744 | 6% | $532 |
The New Mexico picture
New Mexico's story runs through Albuquerque: of the six counties that qualify on 2026 silver-plan data, Bernalillo County shows the widest estimated gap at about $76 per employee per month — roughly 11% below comparable small-group coverage — and no county in the state clears $200. That makes New Mexico a moderate-opportunity market: real money for some employers, but not the kind of spread seen in the highest-gap states. Separately, insurers have filed for a proposed average individual-market increase of 25.7% for 2027, among the steeper filings nationally; those are proposed rates under review and play no part in these 2026 estimates.
An Albuquerque employer with 25 people could see an estimated difference approaching $23,000 a year at the Bernalillo County figure — meaningful, though the math gets thinner in the state's other qualifying counties. New Mexico employers weighing an ICHRA in 2026 are often balancing that modest gap against other benefits: predictable budgeting, freedom from group renewal negotiations, and coverage that follows employees across a state where commutes routinely cross county lines.
New Mexico ICHRA FAQs
How much can employers save with an ICHRA in New Mexico?
Across 6 qualifying New Mexico counties, the 2026 gap between small-group and individual silver coverage averages 10% — up to $915 per employee per year in the strongest county. Figures are plan-year-2026 estimates (lowest-cost silver, age 50, same year both markets), not quotes.
Which New Mexico county has the biggest ICHRA savings?
Bernalillo County currently shows the widest 2026 spread in New Mexico: individual $615/mo vs small group $691/mo — about 11% ($915/employee/year, estimated).
Does every New Mexico county qualify for ICHRA savings?
No. Only counties where the individual market prices below small group make the list — 6 in New Mexico for plan year 2026. In other counties a savings-driven ICHRA usually is not the right move, and an analysis will say so.
Where does this New Mexico data come from?
Individual-market premiums come from the CMS Marketplace Public Use Files and small-group benchmarks from Ideon — lowest-cost silver plan, age 50, same county and same plan year (2026) on both sides.
Does the 25.7% rate increase New Mexico insurers filed for 2027 change whether an ICHRA makes sense now?
Not directly. The 25.7% figure is a proposed average increase for New Mexico's individual market in 2027, still under regulatory review — it is news context, not part of any savings estimate on this site. All estimates here compare 2026 individual-market silver plans against 2026 small-group coverage, same plan year on both sides. If 2027 rates shift the picture, the comparison should be rerun on final 2027 data for both markets, since small-group rates move too.
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