Platinum Plans: Good for People Who Expect to Need Regular Healthcare

Platinum plans are the priciest ACA marketplace plans and they’re also the hardest to find. Less than 10% of ACA plans are platinum plans, so there’s a good chance you might not even be able to buy one.

If a health insurance company in your region offers platinum plans, these types of plans may work for you if you need regular healthcare and several costly prescriptions. Platinum plans have low health insurance deductibles and coinsurance , so you pay less when you receive healthcare. But they also have the most expensive premiums, so you pay the most for your coverage each month.

Gold Plans: Good for People Who Want Lower Out-of-Pocket Expenses

Gold plans have lower out-of-pocket costs than silver or bronze plans, but they come with higher health insurance premiums . If you expect to get regular healthcare, a gold plan could be a smart option since you will pay less when you receive care compared to a silver or bronze plan.

You’ll want to balance the cost of premiums with the out-of-pocket costs like coinsurance and deductibles when you’re choosing an ACA plan.

Silver Plans: Good for People Who Are Looking to Balance Premiums and Out-of-Pocket Costs

If you don’t want very high deductibles but also don’t want to pay high premiums, a silver plan might be a savvy choice. Silver plans have lower out-of-pocket costs than bronze plans and lower premiums than platinum and gold plans, which make them a good middle ground.

Silver and bronze plans are the most common ACA plans offered, so you shouldn’t have a problem getting a silver plan in your area.

Bronze Plans: Good for People Who Desire the Lowest Premiums

Bronze plans are an excellent option if you don’t use healthcare often and want the cheapest coverage. The downside is that bronze plans have higher out-of-pocket costs when you go to the doctor or get prescriptions.

If you’re looking for the cheapest health plans that still offer comprehensive coverage, a bronze plan could be a smart option.

Some health insurers also have “expanded bronze” plans. These plans have higher coinsurance levels for in-network care (up to 65%) than standard bronze plans (average of 60%).

Catastrophic Plans: Good for Young People Who Don’t Often Need Healthcare

The ACA marketplace offers catastrophic health insurance to people under age 30 and those who have severe economic issues like homelessness. If you’re eligible for a catastrophic plan, you may like the low monthly premium but watch out for the high out-of-pocket costs.

One thing that makes catastrophic plans different from other health insurance policies is that they don’t have coinsurance. Instead, you pay an extremely high deductible when you receive care. Once you’ve paid that deductible, a catastrophic plan pays the rest of your in-network healthcare costs for the year.