Who can buy a catastrophic plan in 2027?
A catastrophic plan is a Marketplace plan with low premiums and a very high deductible. Under 45 CFR 155.305(h), two groups can buy one for 2027:
| Who | What you need |
|---|---|
| Under 30 before the plan year starts (January 1, 2027) | Nothing extra |
| 30 or older | An exemption certificate: a hardship exemption or the affordability exemption |
HealthCare.gov’s catastrophic plan page gives the same two groups. Catastrophic plans aren’t sold in every area.
What does a 2027 catastrophic plan cover?
A catastrophic plan covers the same essential health benefits as other Marketplace plans (45 CFR 156.155). For 2027, it pays for little else until you reach the out-of-pocket maximum:
| Feature | 2027 rule |
|---|---|
| Deductible | $12,000, the 2027 self-only out-of-pocket maximum (CMS, January 29, 2026) |
| Covered before the deductible | Preventive care at no cost, and at least 3 primary care visits a year |
| Premium tax credit | None (26 U.S.C. 36B) |
| HSA | Eligible since January 1, 2026 (P.L. 119-21 section 71307) |
The 2027 rule lets catastrophic plans run up to 10 plan years. HealthCare.gov doesn’t say whether any will be offered for 2027.
What is the 2027 affordability exemption?
The affordability exemption (45 CFR 155.605(d)(2)) opens catastrophic plans to adults 30 and older when coverage costs too much. For 2027, coverage is unaffordable when the cheapest option costs more than 8.50% of projected household income. CMS set that figure in its 2027 parameters guidance on January 29, 2026, up from 8.05% for 2026.
The cheapest option is:
- Without a job offer: the lowest-cost bronze plan where you live, minus the most premium tax credit you could get.
- With a job offer: your share of the lowest-cost self-only plan at work, or family plan for a family member.
As of October 25, 2026, HealthCare.gov’s exemption page still shows an older 7.97% figure.
How much does bronze have to cost to qualify?
Coverage Decider worked out the 8.50% line for one adult with no job offer and no tax credit. Over 400% of the poverty line there is no credit, so the full bronze price counts. 400% is $63,840 for one person, from the 2026 guideline of $15,960 (91 FR 1797).
| 2027 income, one adult | 8.50% a year | Lowest-cost bronze must cost more than |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $3,400.00 | $283.33 a month |
| $63,840 (400% of the poverty line) | $5,426.40 | $452.20 a month |
| $80,000 | $6,800.00 | $566.67 a month |
| $100,000 | $8,500.00 | $708.33 a month |
At $40,000 a person gets a tax credit, and the test uses the bronze price after it, so few people at that income qualify. Older adults over the 2027 subsidy cliff pay age-rated bronze prices and are the likeliest to cross the line. 2027 bronze prices post on HealthCare.gov when window shopping opens.
Which hardship exemptions open a catastrophic plan?
HealthCare.gov lists hardships that prevented you from getting coverage, within the last 2 years. They include:
- Homelessness, eviction or foreclosure
- A utility shut-off notice or bankruptcy
- A disaster that caused substantial property damage
- The death of a close family member
- Medical bills you couldn’t pay
- Domestic violence
- Denial of Medicaid because your state didn’t expand it, covered in the Medicaid coverage gap
- Any other hardship that kept you from getting coverage
Unemployment alone doesn’t count. Apply with the forms on HealthCare.gov’s exemptions page and send proof.
What happened to the income route for catastrophic plans?
For 2026, CMS guidance of September 4, 2025 let adults whose income ruled out the tax credit claim a hardship exemption and buy a catastrophic plan. The 2027 payment rule wrote a version into 45 CFR 155.605(d)(1)(iv).
On July 16, 2026, the federal court in City of Columbus v. Kennedy (D. Md.) stayed that rule and the 2025 guidance. CMS’s August 4, 2026 statement lists the catastrophic expansion among provisions that didn’t or won’t take effect as finalized. The case is still open as of October 25, 2026. Adults 30 and older who used the income route need another exemption for 2027.
Is a catastrophic plan better than bronze for 2027?
A catastrophic plan beats bronze only when its premium is lower after credits. Compare them on these points:
| Catastrophic | Bronze | |
|---|---|---|
| Premium tax credit | No | Yes, if you qualify |
| 2027 out-of-pocket maximum | $12,000 | $12,000 at most |
| Before the deductible | Preventive care, 3 primary care visits | Preventive care, and often some visits or drugs, depending on the plan |
| HSA-eligible | Yes | Yes |
If your income is under 400% of the poverty line, a tax credit often makes bronze cheaper. Coverage Decider’s calculator shows your 2027 credit and what bronze costs after it, and how we calculate lists the rules it uses. Under 250% of the poverty line, a silver plan with cost-sharing reductions can cost less to use than either.
Where do you get the final word?
Rules here are as of October 25, 2026, and this is not legal or tax advice. HealthCare.gov decides eligibility for catastrophic plans and exemptions. Free local help can check your situation at no cost. 2027 open enrollment runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027.