Rating area 6 is south central Kansas: 17 counties centered on Wichita and Sedgwick County, reaching out to Hutchinson, McPherson, Newton, El Dorado, Winfield and Independence. Aviation and manufacturing, healthcare, and a deep bench of small businesses make it one of the largest employer markets in the state.
Three carriers filed small group factors here for 2026: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, UnitedHealthcare and Medical Associates Health Plan. UnitedHealthcare filed its lowest Kansas factor of the year for this area.
Counties in rating area 6
Butler, Chase, Chautauqua, Cowley, Elk, Greenwood, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Marion, McPherson, Montgomery, Reno, Rice, Sedgwick, Sumner and Wilson. Larger towns include Wichita, Hutchinson, McPherson, Newton, El Dorado and Winfield.
We publish city pages for Wichita and Hutchinson.
Carriers and filed factors in area 6
Each carrier files a geographic factor for every Kansas area it serves. Below 1.000 means this area prices under that carrier's own statewide base, above 1.000 means over it. Compare a factor with the same carrier's other areas, not with another carrier.
| Carrier | Area 6 factor | Rank in its Kansas areas | Plan types | Filed change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas | 0.963 | 2 of 7, low to high | EPO, PPO | +8.37% |
| Medical Associates Health Plan | 1.000 | Lowest of 2 | HMO, POS | New plans |
| UnitedHealthcare | 0.786 | Lowest of 7 | EPO, POS | +9.97% |
What employers in South central Kansas should check
- How the new Medical Associates HMO plans compare with the PPO and POS options your team uses today.
- Commuters between Wichita and the surrounding counties, who may use providers in more than one town.
- Shift-based crews in manufacturing and how waiting periods and eligibility classes apply.
We check each of these when we quote a group in area 6, then lay the carriers out side by side. It costs your business nothing. Request a free quote or see the Kansas rate tracker for what carriers asked for next year.
The other Kansas rating areas
- Area 1: Kansas City metro (4 counties)
- Area 2: Northeast Kansas (17 counties)
- Area 3: North central Kansas (14 counties)
- Area 4: Northwest Kansas (25 counties)
- Area 5: Southwest Kansas (21 counties)
- Area 7: Southeast Kansas (7 counties)
