A guide to buying individual health insurance in the United States in 2025: plans and costs, government subsidies, insurance companies and purchasing channels

High-end introduction: Covered California

Covered California is California’s health insurance exchange. If you purchase a health insurance plan from Covered California, you can get government subsidies if your household income in 2024 is between 138% and 400% of the federal poverty line and you provide tax return data and proof of income. I suggest that no matter how much you earn, you can go to Covered California to compare.

Covered California adopts a tiered system with four benefit levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The higher the level, the more expensive the premium, but the lower the medical expenses you need to bear. You can choose according to your medical needs.

Bronze: Insurance pays 60%, self-pays 40%

Silver: Insurance pays 70%, and you pay 30% yourself; in some cases (income meets the standard), you can also purchase the Enhanced Silver plan, which is divided into three levels: 94%, 87%, and 73%, but you only need to pay for the Silver plan.

Gold: Insurance pays 80%, self-pays 20%

Platinum: Insurance covers 90%, self-pays 10%

4. What medical insurance should I buy?

Assuming that everyone knows the ropes of medical insurance, let me explain some of the confusing terms so that you know how to buy the insurance that suits you.

Cost Noun

Premium: The premium paid regularly

Co-Pay : It is a bit like the registration fee, and you have to pay it for every office visit. The amount for general clinics is about ten to twenty dollars. If it is a specialist clinic, it may be slightly more expensive. The specific charges vary for each plan.

Deductible : Just like car insurance, you need to pay for the deductible yourself. For example, if your deductible is $1500, you must pay for all medical expenses within $1500 in the year. If it exceeds $1500, the insurance company and the insured will share the expenses in proportion. The higher the deductible, the cheaper the premium, and vice versa.