ACA metal levels sort Marketplace health plans into bronze, silver, gold and platinum based on how much of your medical costs the plan pays on average: about 60%, 70%, 80% and 90%. A lower metal level usually means a lower monthly premium but a higher deductible. A higher level means a higher premium but less to pay when you get care.
The level has nothing to do with the quality of care. All four cover the same essential health benefits. The real question is how you want to pay: more each month, or more when you see a doctor. This guide explains each level, the separate catastrophic category, and how to choose based on your budget, health and income.
What are the ACA metal levels?
Federal rules (45 CFR 156.140) set a target actuarial value for each level, with a small allowed range around it. HealthCare.gov summarizes the split like this, as checked October 18, 2026.
| Metal level | Plan pays (average) | You pay (average) | Deductible is generally | Premium is generally |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 60% | 40% | High | Lowest of the four |
| Silver | 70% | 30% | Moderate | Middle |
| Silver with cost-sharing reductions | 73% to 94% | 6% to 27% | Low | Same as regular silver |
| Gold | 80% | 20% | Low | Higher |
| Platinum | 90% | 10% | Low | Highest |
| Catastrophic (limited eligibility) | Not set by metal AV | Very high deductible | Very high | Low |
These percentages are averages across many people. If you have one large hospital bill, your share depends on your plan’s deductible and out-of-pocket maximum, not on the 60% or 80% figure.
What does each metal level suit?
Each level fits a different situation. None is right for everyone.
Bronze: low premium, high deductible
Bronze plans have the lowest premiums but the highest costs when you get care. HealthCare.gov describes them as a fit for people who use few medical services and mainly want protection from very large bills. Preventive care, such as many screenings and vaccines, is covered without cost sharing on every level, including bronze.
HealthCare.gov says all bronze plans work with a Health Savings Account (HSA), which lets you set money aside before tax for deductibles and other qualified costs. That can soften the high deductible if you can afford to save.
Silver: the middle, and the key to extra savings
Silver plans sit in the middle on premium and deductible. They matter most for people with lower incomes: cost-sharing reductions lower deductibles, copays and the out-of-pocket maximum, but only on silver plans. Silver also sets the size of the premium tax credit, because the credit is based on the second-lowest-cost silver plan in your area.
Gold: higher premium, lower costs when you get care
Gold plans pay about 80% on average. They can make sense if you expect regular care, such as ongoing prescriptions, specialist visits or a planned surgery, and you prefer predictable costs.
Platinum: highest premium, lowest cost sharing
Platinum plans pay about 90% on average. They are offered in fewer areas. They suit people who expect heavy use of care and can afford the highest premiums.
Catastrophic: a safety net for some people
Catastrophic plans have low premiums and very high deductibles. HealthCare.gov says they cover the same essential health benefits, preventive care at no cost and at least three primary care visits a year before the deductible. They are only open to:
- People under 30.
- People who qualify for a hardship or affordability exemption.
CMS guidance dated September 4, 2025, says that starting with 2026 plans, people who are not eligible for the premium tax credit or cost-sharing reductions because of their income can qualify for a hardship exemption and buy a catastrophic plan. A broader 2027 expansion of catastrophic eligibility in a later federal rule was put on hold by a federal court on July 16, 2026, according to a litigation tracker from State Health and Value Strategies.
How do premiums and deductibles trade off?
The trade-off is simple: you either pay more every month or more when you use care. The total you spend in a year is roughly:
Total yearly cost = (monthly premium × 12) + what you pay for care, up to the plan’s out-of-pocket maximum.
The out-of-pocket maximum caps what you pay for covered in-network care in a plan year. For 2027, CMS set the highest allowed limit at $12,000 for one person and $24,000 for a family, up from $10,600 and $21,200 in 2026 (CMS guidance, January 29, 2026). Many plans set lower limits than the maximum.
The best choice depends on what kind of year you expect and how much risk you can handle. Our deductible savings calculator works through the same kind of trade-off for any policy with a deductible.
Which metal level should you choose?
Start with income, then your expected care, then your cash cushion.
- Check your income against the cost-sharing reduction range. If your household income is between 100% and 250% of the federal poverty level, look at silver first. You can check where you fall with our FPL calculator.
- List the care you know you will need. Prescriptions, specialist visits, therapy, a pregnancy or a planned procedure all point toward a lower deductible.
- Ask how much you could pay in a bad month. If a $7,000 deductible would be a crisis, a plan with a lower deductible may be worth the higher premium.
- Check networks and drug lists. Two plans at the same level can cover different doctors and drugs. Open each plan’s provider directory and formulary.
- Compare total yearly cost for a quiet year and a bad year, as in the example above.
| Your situation | Levels to look at first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Income 100% to 250% of poverty level | Silver | Cost-sharing reductions only come with silver |
| Healthy, rarely see a doctor, have savings | Bronze (possibly with an HSA) | Lowest premium; savings cover the deductible if needed |
| Ongoing prescriptions or regular specialist visits | Gold or silver | Lower deductible and copays |
| Expect major care (surgery, pregnancy, chronic illness) | Gold or platinum | Lower out-of-pocket maximum and cost sharing |
| Under 30 or with a hardship exemption, and no tax credit | Catastrophic or bronze | Low premium; protection from worst-case costs |
How do tax credits change the math?
The premium tax credit can change which level looks cheapest. The credit is a fixed dollar amount based on the benchmark silver plan, and you can apply it to bronze, silver, gold or platinum plans. Because bronze plans cost less before the credit, some people can find a bronze plan with a very low or even zero premium after the credit. A gold plan can sometimes cost only a little more than silver after the credit in some areas, because of how silver plans are priced.
That is why you should compare prices after the credit. Our ACA plan finder shows the monthly premium before and after the estimated credit for each plan in your county, using CMS data. The premium tax credit guide explains how the credit is calculated.
What do all metal levels cover?
Every Marketplace plan, whatever its level, must cover the 10 essential health benefits, including hospital care, emergency services, prescription drugs, maternity and newborn care, mental health care and preventive services. Metal levels change how costs are shared, not which benefit categories are covered.
What does differ between plans at the same level:
- Network type: HMO, PPO, EPO or POS, which affects whether you need referrals and whether out-of-network care is covered.
- Provider network: which doctors and hospitals are in network.
- Drug list (formulary): which drugs are covered and at what tier.
- Quality rating: HealthCare.gov shows a 1-to-5-star rating for many plans.
What is changing for 2027 plans?
The metal levels themselves are not changing for 2027, but a few rules around them are, and some are tied up in court. Here is the picture as of October 18, 2026:
- Higher out-of-pocket limits. The federal maximum rises to $12,000 for one person and $24,000 for a family in 2027 (CMS guidance, January 29, 2026). Plans can set lower limits, and silver plans with cost-sharing reductions must.
- Some 2027 rule changes are on hold. CMS finalized its Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027 in May 2026. On July 16, 2026, a federal court in Maryland stayed several of its provisions, including letting bronze plans have an out-of-pocket maximum above the usual limit and widening who can buy catastrophic plans, according to State Health and Value Strategies. A stay is a temporary freeze while the case continues.
- Other parts were challenged but not frozen. The same tracker lists multi-year catastrophic plans as challenged in court with no stay requested.
Because these rules can still change through the courts, the plan details you see on HealthCare.gov or your state exchange during open enrollment are what count. Read each plan’s Summary of Benefits and Coverage before you enroll.
Common mistakes when picking a metal level
- Choosing by premium alone. The cheapest premium can be the most expensive plan in a year when you need care.
- Skipping silver when you qualify for cost-sharing reductions. You leave real savings unused.
- Assuming “gold” means better doctors. It does not; check the network.
- Picking catastrophic without checking credits. If you qualify for a tax credit, a bronze plan may cost less after the credit.
- Forgetting to re-check each year. Prices, networks and your income change. Use open enrollment to compare again.
Figures in this guide were checked on HealthCare.gov, CMS and the eCFR on October 18, 2026. We are an independent publication, not a broker or enrollment site, and this is not insurance advice. Your exact costs and options appear when you apply on HealthCare.gov or your state’s exchange.
