What is a Catastrophic health plan?

A “Catastrophic plan” is a qualified health plan offered on or off the Marketplace that covers the “essential health benefits.” While Catastrophic plans have lower premiums than other qualified health plans, they also have the highest level of cost sharing allowable for an ACA-compliant plan. For 2026, the annual deductible for covered services is in a Catastrophic plan is $10,600 for an individual or $21,200 for a family. The plan does not have to cover more than three primary care visits before the deductible is met.

Catastrophic plans may only be sold to certain individuals. See this FAQ for details.