ACA metal levels: How to compare Bronze, Silver, Gold & Platinum

What do those metal levels for Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans mean?

The ACA uses metal levels to help you compare Marketplace health insurance plans, coverage and costs.¹ But what does that mean when you’re shopping for health insurance?

Bronze, silver, gold, and platinum plans all cover the same essential benefits. The difference is in how costs are shared between you and your insurance company.

In this article, you’ll learn more about:

• ACA metal levels & how they work
• 3 special situations you should know about
• Metal levels: Premiums, deductibles & out-of-pocket maximums
• 3 tips to help you choose a health insurance plan

What ACA metal levels don’t mean

It’s tempting to think metal levels work like Olympic medals, where gold is best, silver is second, and bronze is last.

But that’s not how ACA plans are designed.

• A silver plan isn’t automatically better than bronze.
• A platinum plan won’t give you luxury perks.

The metal level of a health insurance plan doesn’t measure quality of care. It measures how costs are split. And that’s important depending on your healthcare needs.

What ACA metal levels do mean

Each metal level represents a plan’s actuarial value. This is the average percentage of costs your insurer pays compared to what you pay.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Bronze: Insurance pays about 60%, you pay 40%
• Silver: Insurance pays about 70%, you pay 30%
• Gold: Insurance pays about 80%, you pay 20%
• Platinum: Insurance pays about 90%, you pay 10%

These percentages don’t apply to every bill. They reflect the average across a large group of people.

Whatever the level, all ACA marketplace plans cover the same essential health benefits, including:

• Doctor visits
• Hospital stays
• Prescription drugs

The main difference is how much you’ll pay out of pocket.

3 special situations to know about

In addition to the standard metal levels for health insurance plans, there are a few special plan types and rules that may apply depending on your situation.

1. Catastrophic health insurance

In addition to the four metal levels, some insurers offer catastrophic plans.

These plans have low monthly premiums but very high deductibles. They cover all essential health benefits and include three primary care visits before you meet the deductible.

Beginning November 1, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is expanding access to catastrophic insurance.²

• In the past, this was limited to people under age 30, or those with a hardship or affordability exemption.

If you don’t qualify for premium tax credits or cost-sharing reductions, you may apply for a hardship exemption to enroll in a catastrophic plan, regardless of age.

Note: Even if you qualify for a catastrophic plan, you cannot use premium tax credits to lower your premium.

2. Expanded bronze plans

Expanded bronze plans are similar to standard bronze plans, with one exception. They either:³

• Cover at least one major service before the deductible, OR
• Qualify as a high-deductible health plan that works with a Health Savings Account.

These plans still fall into the bronze category, but they give insurers more flexibility in design. And may offer you slightly more value depending on your state and plan options.

3. Silver plan cost-sharing reductions

If your income qualifies, you may lower costs with premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions.⁴

• Premium tax credits are available at any metal level and have been extended through 2025.⁵
• Cost-sharing reductions only apply if you choose a silver plan and can significantly lower out-of-pocket costs like copays and deductibles.
• Note: Native American and Alaska Native enrollees may qualify for additional CSR benefits.

Metal levels: Premiums, deductibles & out-of-pocket maximums

Two numbers matter most when comparing plans:

• Premium: Your monthly insurance bill
• Deductible: What you must pay before your plan starts paying for care (does not apply to no-cost preventive services)

In general:

• Bronze plans = lowest premiums, highest deductibles
• Platinum plans = highest premiums, lowest deductibles
• Silver and gold = middle ground

For 2026, the maximum out-of-pocket cap for ACA marketplace plans is $10,600 for individuals and $21,200 for families.⁶

Here’s how costs usually compare:

• Bronze plans: Lowest premiums, highest deductibles. A good option if you’re healthy, rarely need care, and want coverage for major medical bills.
• Silver & gold plans: Middle ground on premiums and deductibles, often a balance between monthly costs and coverage.
• Platinum plans: Highest premiums, lowest deductibles. A better fit if you know you’ll need a lot of care and want lower costs when you use services.

3 tips to help you choose a health plan

With all the options available based on different metal levels for ACA Marketplace plans, you might be wondering how to narrow down your choices. Right?

Think about it like this:

• Shopping by the deductible is always going to be the more-value way to shop for an insurance plan.
• The lower the deductible, the more you’re getting out of the plan, the more your insurance company is covering, and the less is coming out of your pocket.

Follow these three steps to choose a health plan:

1. Start by comparing deductibles
2. Use the metal levels to understand cost-sharing
3. Then choose the plan that fits your budget and health needs

ACA metal levels: Choose a plan that’s right for you

ACA metal levels help you see how costs are divided between you and your insurer, but they don’t measure quality of care.

Deductibles, premiums, premium tax credits, and out-of-pocket maximums also matter.

And starting in 2026, if you don’t qualify for premium tax credits, you may have access to a catastrophic plan. That gives you one more option for coverage that fits your needs and budget.

Want help reviewing your Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum options?

Give us a call at (800) 827-9990 to talk with a licensed health insurance agent or find a licensed health insurance agent in your area to discuss your options.