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ACA Basics - Individuals
Health insurance doesn't just cover your medical bills when you get sick. It covers these things, too.
Prescription Drugs
Outpatient Care
Routine Checkups
Maternity Care 
Preventive Care
Vaccines & Boosters
Doctor Visits 
Wellness ServicesHOW TO BUY AN AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACA) PLAN
You can purchase ACA healthcare plans through a federal marketplace called the Health Insurance Marketplace® or outside the Health Insurance Marketplace®. The route you should take depends on your individual healthcare needs and financial situation. Our representatives can answer your questions and help you navigate these choices. Available plans and pricing may vary depending on whether you purchase your plan on or off the Health Insurance Marketplace®.
CHOOSE YOUR METAL LEVEL
ACA-compliant plans are tiered into four basic categories. These categories, or metal levels, contain different levels of coverage. It is important to compare the different plans in these different metal levels to make sure you get the right plan at the right price to meet your individual healthcare needs.
Typically, plans with more coverage have higher monthly premiums.
Gold Plans (4 available) have higher monthly premiums, but typically include the most comprehensive benefits which may lower your out-of-pocket costs if you have a lot of medical expenses.
Silver Plans (7 available) do not offer coverage as comprehensive as Gold Plans but are available with a lower monthly premium. These plans must be selected if you qualify for and intend to use a Cost-Sharing Reduction (CSR). CSRs are considered “extra savings” that can help you save on your out-of-pocket for medical expenses.
Bronze Plans (3 available) typically offer the lowest possible monthly premium for a standard health insurance plan. However, these plans include higher out-of-pocket expenses for medical care than our Gold or Silver Plans.
Catastrophic Coverage (1 available) is only available to people under 30 years old or who qualify because of certain hardships. These plans typically have a very low monthly premium. However, they have a high deductible which must be met before any coverage kicks in. These plans may be able to offset some of the financial hardships associated with a sudden, catastrophic illness or injury requiring complex care.
When you're ready to enroll, have these documents in front of you when you call or go online:
IdentificationSocial Security or document number
Wage InformationW-2, pay stubs, and/or wage and tax statements
Current CoveragePolicy numbers for any current health insurance you have
You can purchase Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama plans through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace®. Purchasing a plan through the Exchange may lower your monthly premiums and other out of-pocket costs if you qualify for a tax credit.
You can also purchase plans off the Health Insurance Marketplace® directly through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. Subsidies and tax credits are not available for plans purchased outside of the Health Insurance Marketplace®.