If you are searching for an Aetna versus Cigna comparison for 2026, there is an important fact to know first: Aetna / CVS Health exited the individual ACA marketplace nationwide — including Florida — at the end of 2025, affecting roughly one million members across 17 states. The company cited continued underperformance and recorded a $448 million premium deficiency reserve on its exchange business. So for the 2026 plan year, you cannot buy an Aetna individual marketplace plan in Florida.
Aetna is still very much active in Florida for employer/group health insurance and Medicare Advantage, so the realistic 2026 comparison is usually an Aetna employer plan versus a Cigna individual marketplace plan — or, if your Aetna ACA plan ended, how Cigna stacks up as a replacement. Cigna expanded its Florida presence for 2026 by adding a new Cigna HMO entity alongside its existing Cigna Health & Life plans, though it still sells only in select metro counties. This guide covers both.
Comparing ACA plans in Florida
Aetna / CVS Health exited the individual ACA exchanges: At the end of 2025 CVS Health withdrew Aetna from the individual ACA marketplace in all 17 states where it operated, including Florida, ending coverage for about one million members. CVS leadership cited continued underperformance of the exchange book and booked a $448 million premium deficiency reserve. Aetna had also briefly left the exchanges in 2017–2018 before returning in 2021.
Aetna still sells employer and Medicare coverage in Florida: The exit applies only to individual/family ACA plans. Aetna remains a major Florida carrier for employer/group health insurance and Medicare Advantage, which is why many Floridians still hold an Aetna card — just through work or Medicare, not the marketplace.
National network for travelers: Cigna's national network is an advantage for Floridians who travel frequently or split the year between states, giving access to contracted providers well beyond Florida.
MDLIVE telehealth: Cigna includes MDLIVE virtual care for urgent, primary, and behavioral health visits, a convenient option for routine needs without an office trip.
Expanding Florida footprint: For 2026 Cigna added a new HMO entity in Florida alongside its Cigna Health & Life plans, broadening the metro counties where it competes, and its 29.5% approved increase is roughly in line with the statewide average.
For most people the real 2026 decision is whether to keep an Aetna plan offered through an employer or buy a Cigna plan on the marketplace. The pivot point is the subsidy: if your employer's Aetna coverage is deemed affordable under ACA rules, you generally cannot get a marketplace subsidy, which usually makes the employer plan cheaper. If you lack affordable employer coverage, a subsidized Cigna marketplace plan may win on cost.
Cigna sells EPO and HMO plans in select Florida metros — primarily South Florida, Central Florida, and the Tampa Bay area — with out-of-network care covered for emergencies only. Its national network helps travelers, but its Florida county footprint is far smaller than Florida Blue's or Ambetter's.
Aetna no longer publishes individual marketplace premiums in Florida, so the figures below show approximate 2026 unsubsidized Silver premiums for Cigna. Most enrollees pay far less after subsidies.
| County (35-yr-old, non-smoker, Silver) | Cigna |
|---|---|
| Miami-Dade County | ~$515/mo |
| Orange (Orlando) County | ~$490/mo |
| Hillsborough (Tampa) County | ~$480/mo |
Approximate 2026 unsubsidized premiums for a 35-year-old non-smoker, before APTC subsidies. As a reference point, Florida regulators reported a 28-year-old in Duval County on a Silver plan going from about $149 to roughly $281 per month for 2026 after subsidy changes. Your actual cost depends on the benchmark Silver plan in your rating area.
A licensed Florida health insurance agent can compare your 2026 options county by county and check whether your providers are in-network — at no cost to you.
Compare Plans in Your County