PlanMatch · Health insurance
Health insurance, made clear
PlanMatch is a free, plain-language guide to ACA Marketplace coverage. Learn how the Marketplace works, what the metal tiers mean, and how financial help is calculated in 2026 after the enhanced credits expired — then compare the actual plans available where you live.
Buying your own health insurance shouldn’t require decoding a glossary. These guides explain how the Health Insurance Marketplace works, how financial help is calculated, and what changed for 2026 — in plain language, with no sales pitch and no carrier names. When you’re ready to see the actual plans and prices where you live, you can compare and enroll through PlanMatch Health.
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How the Marketplace works
What ACA coverage is, the metal tiers, who it’s for, and where to buy it.
Read more →Metal tiers & plan types
Bronze to Platinum, plus HMO vs PPO — how plans differ and how to pick one.
Read more →What plans cost in 2026
Premiums, deductibles, and the out-of-pocket maximum — and how to compare on total cost.
Read more →Subsidies & premium tax credits
How financial help works in 2026 after the enhanced credits expired — and who still qualifies.
Read more →Eligibility & enrollment
Who can enroll, the Open Enrollment window, and the life events that let you sign up anytime.
Read more →How to choose a plan
A step-by-step guide: match a tier to your needs, check your network and drugs, compare total cost.
Read more →What changed for 2026
The enhanced premium tax credits that lowered Marketplace premiums from 2021 through 2025 expired at the start of 2026. For many people that means higher monthly costs, and the 400%-of-income subsidy cliff has returned — above that line, there’s no premium tax credit. Our rundown of the 2026 changes and our guide to subsidies explain who still qualifies, how cost-sharing reductions work, and practical ways to keep your costs down under the new rules.
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Ready to compare?
Ready to see real plans and prices?
Enter your ZIP and we’ll take you to PlanMatch Health to compare the plans available where you live.