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ACA Direct Answers

How we source and interpret our data

Reviewed by Jason Burns, Editorial Steward

Every figure on ACA Direct Answers traces back to a named federal dataset. We do not estimate, model, or interpolate premiums, plan counts, or demographic figures. If a number appears on a page, its source is cited on that page and matches one of the datasets below.

Plans, premiums, deductibles, and MOOP

Plan-level figures — issuer, plan marketing name, metal tier, HIOS plan ID, age-40 premium, individual and family deductibles, and maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) — come from the CMS PY2026 QHP Landscape, Individual Market Medical public use file, published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in May 2026. County plan counts, issuer counts, and benchmark (second-lowest-cost silver) premiums are aggregated directly from that same file for each HealthCare.gov service area. States operating their own exchange (for example, California, New York, Washington, and Georgia beginning in 2024) are not present in the federal landscape file and therefore do not appear in our county or plan pages.

City demographics

Population, uninsured rate, and median household income on every city page come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024, retrieved via the Census Data API. Specifically:

  • Uninsured rate — ACS table S2701 (Selected Characteristics of Health Insurance Coverage in the United States), 5-year estimate 2020-2024.
  • Median household income — ACS table B19013 (Median Household Income in the Past 12 Months), 5-year estimate 2020-2024, in inflation-adjusted 2024 dollars.
  • Population — ACS 5-year estimate 2020-2024, place-level.

ZIP-to-city association

ZIP codes shown on a city page are derived from USPS ZIP city listings for the quarter noted in the "Source" line at the bottom of each city page (thecrosswalk_quarter field). USPS may reassign a ZIP between quarterly releases, so we surface the exact vintage on the page rather than presenting a ZIP list as timeless truth.

Update cadence and fixed vintages

Plan and premium figures are fixed to the 2026 plan year and will not change until CMS publishes the next annual QHP Landscape file. City demographics are fixed to the ACS 5-Year 2020-2024 release and will update when the Census Bureau publishes the 2021-2025 5-Year Estimates (typically December 2026). Between releases, we do not smooth, backfill, or forecast — a value that is not in the source file is not shown.

Editorial answers and government quotes

Answer pages ( /answers ) draw on HealthCare.gov, CMS, and IRS primary pages, cited inline. Where an answer quotes a federal official or agency verbatim, the quote is verified character-for-character against the original source and is rendered in a distinct "government quote" block with a link back to the source and to the speaker's official credentials.

What we are not

ACA Direct Answers is a private editorial resource. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an agent of the U.S. government, the Health Insurance Marketplace, HealthCare.gov, or CMS. Nothing here is insurance, tax, or legal advice; always confirm eligibility, prices, and rules on HealthCare.gov or with a licensed agent before enrolling.