What is actuarial value in ACA plans?
Actuarial value is the share of average medical costs an ACA plan is expected to pay across a standard population — roughly 60% for Bronze, 70% for Silver, 80% for Gold, and 90% for Platinum plans on the Marketplace, per HealthCare.gov (2026).
More on this topic: health insurance marketplace
What the government has said, on the record
Here's how a federal official described it, on the record:
“The percentage of total average costs for covered benefits that a plan will cover. For example, if a plan has an actuarial value of 70%, on average, you would be responsible for 30% of the costs of all covered benefits.”
— Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (HealthCare.gov), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services), HealthCare.gov Glossary, Actuarial Value (source)
Editor's note: Official HealthCare.gov (CMS) definition. Example percentages are illustrative; confirm current rules at HealthCare.gov.
Who said this
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (HealthCare.gov) · Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)
Also asked as
- What does actuarial value mean?
Sources
Last verified: 2026-07-19