Which health plan level fits me? Marketplace calculator

What this health plan checker does

Health insurance is the one coverage where the “how much” question is really “which level”. Marketplace plans come in metal levels, Bronze, Silver, Gold and sometimes Platinum, that trade monthly premium against what you pay when you use care. This checker asks the official CMS Marketplace API, the public data service behind HealthCare.gov, for your estimated premium tax credit, whether you qualify for cost-sharing reductions or Medicaid/CHIP, and the lowest-premium plan at each level in your county. It then suggests a level based on how much care you expect.

Coverlee is not an enrollment site and is not affiliated with the government. When you are ready, you enroll on HealthCare.gov or your state’s marketplace.

How the comparison works

For each metal level, we take the plan with the lowest premium after your estimated credit and compare three yearly scenarios:

Low-use year = 12 × monthly premium after credit

Medium-use year = 12 × premium + deductible

Worst-case year = 12 × premium + out-of-pocket maximum

The level with the lowest total for the scenario you choose is our pick, with one exception: if you qualify for cost-sharing reductions, we suggest Silver, because those savings lower the deductible and out-of-pocket maximum only on Silver plans.

Worked example with real Marketplace data

These figures come from the CMS Marketplace API for plan year 2026, checked on October 18, 2026, for one 35-year-old non-smoker in Davidson County, North Carolina (ZIP 27360) with $40,000 of expected income. The API estimated a premium tax credit of $230 a month and no cost-sharing reductions at that income.

In this market the cheapest Gold plan costs only about $17 a month more than the cheapest Silver plan but has a deductible $4,000 lower, so Gold wins as soon as you expect to use care. At $24,000 of income, the same API estimated a larger credit and an 87% cost-sharing reduction, which would make Silver the clear choice. Prices, plans and credits change every year, so run the checker for your own household.

Metal levels at a glance

Rules that change the answer

• Cost-sharing reductions (CSR). If the estimate shows you qualify, a Silver plan’s deductible and out-of-pocket maximum drop sharply. You lose that benefit on any other level.
• Medicaid and CHIP. If your income is low enough, Medicaid or CHIP may cover you instead, and you can apply any time.
• State-run marketplaces. Some states run their own exchange; their plans are not in the federal data, so we link to the official state site.
• Enrollment periods. You can usually enroll only during open enrollment unless a life event, such as losing other coverage, a move or a new baby, gives you a special enrollment period. HealthCare.gov lists the current dates.
• Networks and drugs. The cheapest plan may not include your doctors or medicines. Open plan details to check the provider network and drug list.

Common mistakes

Next steps

Open the plan details for your top choice to see copays and links to the plan’s official summary of benefits, drug list and provider directory, then enroll at HealthCare.gov. If someone depends on your income, also check your life insurance need, and use the insurance deductible calculator to think about the trade-off between premium and deductible in general.