Metal tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum
Marketplace plans are grouped by actuarial value: the average share of covered costs the plan pays for a typical population. The tiers have nothing to do with quality of care.
| Tier | Plan pays (avg.) | You pay (avg.) | Premium | Costs when you get care | Often fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥉 Bronze | ~60% | ~40% | Lowest | Highest | Healthy people who want protection against worst cases |
| 🥈 Silver | ~70% | ~30% | Moderate | Moderate | People who qualify for cost-sharing reductions (Silver only) |
| 🥇 Gold | ~80% | ~20% | Higher | Lower | Regular doctor visits or prescriptions |
| 💎 Platinum | ~90% | ~10% | Highest | Lowest | Heavy, predictable medical use (not offered everywhere) |
Catastrophic plans are available to people under 30 and some others with a hardship or affordability exemption. They have very low premiums and very high deductibles.
Silver + low income: if your income qualifies, a Silver plan's cost-sharing reductions can lower deductibles and copays a lot, so it may beat Bronze on total cost. Check HealthCare.gov.