What's the difference between bronze, silver, gold, and platinum plans?
Marketplace plans are categorized by "metal tier" based on actuarial value — the percentage of average healthcare costs the plan covers. Bronze ~60% AV, low premium / high deductible. Silver ~70% AV, mid premium / mid deductible — and silver plans are where cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) are applied for lower-income enrollees, often making silver effectively richer than gold for those buyers. Gold ~80% AV, higher premium / lower deductible. Platinum ~90% AV, highest premium / lowest cost-sharing. The "right" tier depends on expected healthcare use. Healthy buyers with low expected costs often pick bronze; people with chronic conditions or high expected use should run the math on silver or gold including the OOPM.
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