Cost-Sharing Reductions: Who Qualifies for a CSR Silver Plan in 2027
A Marketplace Silver plan can come with a much smaller deductible than its sticker suggests. At household incomes from 100% to 200% of the poverty level, cost-sharing reductions can cut one person's 2027 out-of-pocket maximum from $12,000 to $4,000, and to $9,600 up to 250%. Here's who qualifies, how the second-lowest-cost Silver plan sets your credit, and when Silver beats Bronze.
Shop 2027 Plans or Call ↓What Are Cost-Sharing Reductions on a Silver Plan?
Cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) are extra savings that lower the deductible, copays, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximum on a Marketplace Silver plan. They don't change your premium. They change what you pay when you see a doctor, fill a prescription or go to the hospital, and they're the main reason a Marketplace Silver plan can beat Bronze for lower-income households.
CSRs are built into the plan, not paid to you. If your income qualifies and you choose Silver, the Marketplace enrolls you in a richer version of that same Silver plan. Choose any other metal tier and the savings don't come with you. HealthCare.gov puts it plainly: you must pick a Silver plan to get these extra savings.
FreedInsure LLC is an independent brokerage; its licensed agent, Constantino Lardi (NPN 20230457), is licensed in 42 jurisdictions (41 states + DC). We compare plans from the carriers we work with against your income, doctors and prescriptions, and there's no fee for our help. Call (844) 788-3733.
Quick answer: Cost-sharing reductions are extra savings that lower deductibles, copays and the out-of-pocket maximum on Silver plans bought through the Marketplace. For 2027 coverage they apply at 100% to 250% FPL, about $15,960 to $39,900 for one person. A CSR Silver plan caps one person's 2027 out-of-pocket costs at $4,000 up to 200% FPL and $9,600 up to 250%, versus the standard $12,000.
Who Qualifies for Cost-Sharing Reductions in 2027?
You qualify if your household income is between 100% and 250% of the federal poverty level, you qualify for a premium tax credit, and you enroll in a Silver plan through the Marketplace. For 2027 coverage, the Marketplace uses the 2026 poverty guidelines: $15,960 for one person and $33,000 for a family of four (48 states and DC).
The lower your income within that range, the richer the plan. Each CSR level is described by its actuarial value, the share of average covered costs the plan pays. A standard Silver plan is about 70%; the CSR versions are 94%, 87% and 73%.
| Income (% of FPL) | One Person | Family of 4 | Silver Actuarial Value | 2027 Out-of-Pocket Max (Self / Family) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100–150% FPL | $15,960–$23,940 | $33,000–$49,500 | 94% | $4,000 / $8,000 |
| 150–200% FPL | $23,940–$31,920 | $49,500–$66,000 | 87% | $4,000 / $8,000 |
| 200–250% FPL | $31,920–$39,900 | $66,000–$82,500 | 73% | $9,600 / $19,200 |
| Over 250% FPL (no CSR) | Over $39,900 | Over $82,500 | 70% (standard Silver) | $12,000 / $24,000 |
Sources: HHS/ASPE 2026 poverty guidelines (one person $15,960; family of four $33,000; dollar ranges are those figures times 1.5, 2 and 2.5); CMS 2027 cost-sharing guidance (2027 out-of-pocket maximums, CSR limits and 94%/87%/73% actuarial values); HealthCare.gov (out-of-pocket maximum); HealthCare.gov savings on out-of-pocket costs (Silver plan required for CSRs). Alaska and Hawaii use higher poverty guidelines.
Below 100% FPL, or below about 138% FPL in states that expanded Medicaid, Medicaid is usually the program to check first; see our Medicaid income limits by state. If your income is too high for Medicaid but a plan still feels out of reach, our guide for people who can't afford health insurance and don't qualify for Medicaid walks through the options.
What does "CSR eligible" mean on my application?
It means the Marketplace found that you qualify for extra savings on Silver plans. Your eligibility results list the premium tax credit and, if you qualify, cost-sharing reductions. When you shop, Silver plans then show the lower deductible and out-of-pocket maximum of your CSR version, not the standard numbers.
Two details trip people up. First, the CSR level follows your projected 2027 household income, so an estimate that's too high or too low can put you in the wrong band. Second, if you choose Bronze, Gold or Platinum, the application still says you were eligible, but the plan you're in has no CSR. Our ACA income limits guide explains how household income is counted.
What Is the Second-Lowest-Cost Silver Plan (SLCSP)?
The second-lowest-cost Silver plan (SLCSP) is the second-cheapest Silver plan available to your household where you live, and it's the benchmark the Marketplace uses to size your premium tax credit. Your credit is the SLCSP premium minus the amount you're expected to pay toward it, which is a share of your income.
For 2027, under current law, that expected share runs from 2.15% of income at the bottom of the range to 10.22% from 300% to 400% FPL (IRS Rev. Proc. 2026-26). Above 400% FPL there's no credit for 2027 under current law. Because the benchmark is set by your area's Silver prices, the same income can produce very different credits in two ZIP codes.
The SLCSP is a yardstick, not a recommendation. You can apply the credit to any metal tier, and the second-cheapest Silver plan may not have your doctors. But if you qualify for CSRs, Silver is where those savings live, so the benchmark plan and its neighbors are usually worth a close look.
Where the SLCSP shows up on Form 1095-A
At tax time, your Form 1095-A lists the SLCSP premium for your household in column B of Part III, month by month, next to your actual premium (column A) and the advance credit paid to your insurer (column C). You use those numbers on Form 8962 to reconcile your credit. If column B is blank or wrong, our guide on how to get your 1095-A form explains how to look it up or get a corrected form.
CSR vs. Premium Tax Credit: What's the Difference?
The premium tax credit lowers your monthly premium; a cost-sharing reduction lowers what you pay when you use care. Many households between 100% and 250% FPL get both at once, but only if they choose Silver. Above 250% FPL you can still get the credit, and it works on any tier.
💰 Premium Tax Credit
Lowers your monthly premium. For 2027, available from 100% to 400% FPL under current law. Paid to your insurer in advance or claimed at tax time, and reconciled on Form 8962.
🩺 Cost-Sharing Reduction
Lowers your deductible, copays, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximum. Available from 100% to 250% FPL. Built into the plan, so there's nothing to reconcile at tax time.
🥈 Which Plans
The credit works on Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Marketplace plans. CSRs come only with Silver plans bought through the Marketplace; catastrophic plans get neither.
📈 What Sets the Amount
The credit depends on your income, household size, age, ZIP code and the benchmark Silver premium. The CSR level depends on your income compared with the poverty level for your household size: 94%, 87% or 73% actuarial value.
Want to see both numbers for your household? Our 2027 ACA subsidy calculator shows your percent of FPL and what you’re expected to pay for the benchmark Silver plan; if you land between 100% and 250% FPL, use the table above to find your CSR level. The Marketplace confirms the final amounts when your application is complete.
Do You Have to Pick a Silver Plan to Get CSR?
Yes. Cost-sharing reductions come only with Silver plans bought through the Marketplace. A Bronze plan usually has a lower premium, and your premium tax credit applies to it just the same, but it has no CSR. You take on the standard Bronze deductible and an out-of-pocket maximum of up to $12,000 for one person in 2027.
That's the trade to weigh. Between 100% and 200% FPL, an 87% or 94% Silver plan pays a bigger share of costs than a Gold plan (80%) at a Silver price. Between 200% and 250%, the 73% version is a smaller step up, so a healthy, low-use person may reasonably pick Bronze. Above 250% FPL there's no CSR, and the choice comes down to expected use, doctors and drugs. Our guide on how to choose a health insurance plan walks through Bronze vs Silver vs Gold.
American Indians and Alaska Natives
Eligible American Indians and Alaska Natives get their own cost-sharing protection, and it isn’t limited to Silver plans. According to HealthCare.gov, if your income is between 100% and 300% of the federal poverty level, you can enroll in a zero cost-sharing plan and won't pay out-of-pocket costs for covered care. Services from an Indian health care provider have no out-of-pocket costs regardless of income.
CSR Example: One Person Earning $30,000
A single person with $30,000 of 2027 household income is at about 188% FPL, which puts them in the 87% CSR Silver band with a $4,000 out-of-pocket maximum. Our calculator estimates they'd be expected to pay about $155 a month for the benchmark Silver plan after the premium tax credit.
Here's how that works. At 188% FPL, the 2027 expected contribution is about 6.18% of income (IRS Rev. Proc. 2026-26), or roughly $1,854 a year. The credit covers the rest of the benchmark premium, whatever it is in that person's ZIP code. A Silver plan priced above the benchmark costs more; one priced below it costs less.
Silver with CSR
About $155 a month for the benchmark plan, an 87% actuarial value plan, and a $4,000 out-of-pocket maximum for 2027.
Bronze
The same dollar credit applied to a cheaper plan, so a lower premium, but no CSR and an out-of-pocket maximum of up to $12,000.
The figures for other incomes, using the same calculator: about $96 a month at $25,000 (157% FPL, 87% band) and about $289 a month at $40,000 (251% FPL, just above the CSR range). Actual premiums depend on age, ZIP code and the plans offered. If those numbers are still a stretch, our low-cost health insurance guide covers the other options.
Straight talk: at $30,000, picking Bronze to save on premium can mean up to $8,000 more out-of-pocket exposure in a bad year, the gap between a $4,000 and a $12,000 cap. If you rarely use care, that may still be a trade worth making, and we'll say so. We'll price both for your ZIP code at (844) 788-3733, or shop and enroll online. There's no fee for our help.
Open Enrollment on HealthCare.gov runs November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 15 for coverage starting January 1; plans picked December 16 – January 15 start February 1. State-run exchanges set their own dates (HealthCare.gov dates and deadlines).
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