All health plans offered through the Marketplace must meet the requirements of “qualified health plans.” This means they will cover essential health benefits, limit the amount of cost sharing (such as deductibles and co-pays) for covered benefits, cover preventive services at no cost to consumers, and satisfy all other consumer protections required under the Affordable Care Act.

Health plans vary in the benefits they cover and the level of cost sharing required. Plans are labeled Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum to indicate the overall amount of cost sharing they require. Bronze plans have the highest deductibles and other cost sharing, while Platinum plans have the lowest. Health plans also vary in the networks of hospitals and other health care providers they offer. Some plans require you to get all non-emergency care in-network, while others will provide some coverage when you receive out-of-network care.