Health insurance in Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas.

Why so many people in Washington County go without coverage

14.5% of residents under 65 have no health insurance. That is well above the state rate of about 11%.

That is about 32,600 people. Among adults with low incomes, at or below 138% of the federal poverty level, 29.8% are uninsured, against about 22% statewide. In Benton County, the rate for everyone under 65 is 10.6%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, 2024.

Marketplace prices are the same in both counties, so sticker price does not explain the gap. Washington County has more people with low incomes: 21.7% of residents under 65, against 12.9% in Benton. Low-income adults are the most likely to go without coverage in both counties.

If you have gone without because you assumed you could not afford it, check. In 2026, 82% of Washington County Marketplace enrollees got a tax credit. Those who did paid $72 a month on average after it. Prices for 2027 will be different. Source: CMS 2026 Open Enrollment county data. If your income is under 138% of the poverty level, check ARHOME, Arkansas Medicaid for adults. It may cover you at no cost.

New hospital names in Northwest Arkansas

Freeman Health System bought Northwest Health’s four hospitals on June 1, 2026.

The hospitals in Bentonville, Springdale, Siloam Springs and Willow Creek in Johnson now carry Freeman names, such as Freeman Health System Springdale Medical Center. When the sale closed, Freeman said there would be no changes to the insurance plans it accepts. Source: Freeman Health System news release, June 1, 2026.

What changes is what you see. A provider directory or a bill may show a Freeman name for the hospital you knew as Northwest. When you check a 2027 plan, search under both names. Do the same for Washington Regional and Arkansas Children’s Northwest if you use them.

Moved here recently? Your old plan does not come with you

Northwest Arkansas grew by nearly 15,000 residents between 2024 and 2025.

HealthCare.gov is plain about it: when you move to a new state, you cannot keep your Marketplace plan. You start a new application in Arkansas and pick a new plan. Source: Northwest Arkansas Council, via the Democrat-Gazette; HealthCare.gov.

A move can open a Special Enrollment Period, so you may not have to wait for open enrollment. You usually need to have had coverage before the move, and you have 60 days to pick a plan. If you do not qualify, a short-term plan can start within days, any time of year. Some people move here for jobs at Walmart, Tyson, J.B. Hunt or one of the region’s hundreds of supplier offices. Those jobs often come with a group plan. A spouse who works on their own, or a small firm, may need to buy coverage.

Benton County shoppers switch plans more than most Arkansans

Benton County buyers pick Bronze, switch plans and shop on their own more than Arkansas buyers overall.

In 2026, 41.4% of Benton County Marketplace enrollees chose a Bronze plan, against 32.5% statewide. 38.4% of enrollees were returning customers who switched plans, against 34.8% statewide. 59.1% used an agent, against 65.4% statewide. Source: CMS 2026 Open Enrollment county data.

Shopping each year is smart. Bronze can be the right call too, if you are healthy and can cover a high deductible. Before you choose it, add up what a bad year would cost you, not just the monthly premium.

How we help Northwest Arkansas households

We check your doctors, your prescriptions and your tax credit before you choose.

We check your doctors under both their old and new names, and your prescriptions. We work out the tax credit you qualify for and price the Marketplace plans with it. Then we price short-term and private plans next to them. Most people have never heard of these, and for many healthy households they cost far less. If you run a small firm, we can also compare group plans for your team. For the rest of the state, read our Arkansas health insurance guide.

Elsewhere in Arkansas: Little Rock, where CHI St. Vincent is out of network with Arkansas Blue Cross, and Fort Smith, where Baptist Health scaled back.