Covered California Health Plans

Covered California health plans come in four metal tiers. They have different costs for premiums and services.

Bronze Plan

When compared to the other three plans, Bronze plans typically have the cheapest monthly insurance premiums. However, Bronze plans also tend to have the highest out-of-pocket costs and deductibles when using health insurance. They pay for 60% of your health care costs. You would be responsible for the remaining 40%, in addition to your monthly premium.

Silver Plan

Silver plans tend to have affordable monthly insurance premiums. However, their out-of-pocket costs are still more expensive than a Gold or Platinum plan. Specifically, 70% of your medical expenses are paid for by a Silver plan, meaning that you will have to pay for the remaining 30% of these costs.

There are also non-standard Enhanced Silver plans available to individuals and families that meet certain age and income requirements.  These Enhanced Silver options vary from 73, 87, and 94 plans which essentially correlate to the percentage of expenses that the insurance carrier will cover.  These plans are comparable with either the Gold or Platinum policies with respect to deductibles and benefits, but come at a fraction of the cost.  

Gold Plan

Gold plans typically have higher monthly insurance premiums than Bronze and Silver plans, however, they do have lower out-of-pocket costs when using medical services. The plan pays for 80% of your medical expenses, while you would be responsible for the remaining 20%, along with your premium.

Platinum Plan

Platinum plans tend to have the highest monthly insurance premiums of all metal plans. However, they also have the lowest out-of-pocket costs when you need medical care. Platinum plans pay for 90% of your medical expenses, meaning you are responsible for the remaining 10%. Such low out-of-pocket costs can prove to be financially beneficial for those who need a high-level of medical care.

Detailed 2021 Plan Benefits

Remember that no matter which metal level you choose, under Covered California, all plans have the same maximum out-of-pocket limits. These limits protect you financially, especially if you need a lot of medical care. For 2021, the annual limit is $8,550 for an individual, and $17,100 for a family, including deductibles.