How to compare health plans without staring at the premium

The premium is the monthly amount you pay whether you get care or not. It is the first number on most screens and a poor summary of the plan. HealthCare.gov’s cost-sharing glossary is the rest of the picture: deductible, copayment, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximum.

A comparison that survives the sales page

• Monthly premium, and whether any income-based savings are even part of this product. This site does not estimate savings.
• Deductible, including a separate drug deductible if the plan has one. See what a deductible is.
• Copays and coinsurance after the deductible, for the visits and drugs you actually use.
• In-network out-of-pocket maximum, and a clear statement of what it excludes.
• Network type. PPO, HMO, EPO, and POS do different jobs. Check the doctor and hospital by name.
• The prescription list, not a slogan about pharmacy coverage.
• What the plan does not cover, in the exclusions, not the brochure.

Marketplace metal levels

On HealthCare.gov, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum describe how you and the plan split costs. They are not a quality grade, and they are not the same thing as HMO or PPO. Which metal levels exist in a ZIP code is a local fact. Sunrise and the rest of Broward County do not share one plan menu with the rest of Florida.

When you can even enroll

HealthCare.gov’s quick guide, read on 7 November 2026 for 2027 coverage, says open enrollment is underway: enroll by 15 December for coverage that can start 1 January, and 15 January is the last day listed to enroll or change Marketplace plans for that year. Coverage for people who enroll from 16 December through 15 January can start 1 February if the first premium is paid. Outside those dates, you need a Special Enrollment Period or another path the official page allows. Dates move. Check the source before you rely on a calendar on this site.

For a household, continue to individual and family coverage. For work without an employer plan, see self-employed coverage.