What Is Actuarial Value?
Actuarial value (AV) is the percentage of total healthcare costs that a plan is designed to cover for an average population. It's the number behind the metal tier system:
- Bronze: 60% AV — plan pays 60%, you pay 40% on average
- Silver: 70% AV — plan pays 70%, you pay 30%
- Gold: 80% AV — plan pays 80%, you pay 20%
- Platinum: 90% AV — plan pays 90%, you pay 10%
What AV Doesn't Tell You
Actuarial value is an average across a population, not a guarantee for your specific situation. A 70% AV Silver plan doesn't mean you pay exactly 30% of every bill. Your actual costs depend on your deductible, copays, coinsurance, and how much healthcare you use.
With cost-sharing reductions, a Silver plan's effective actuarial value increases to 73%, 87%, or even 94% — meaning the plan covers up to 94% of costs for the lowest-income enrollees. The metal tier stays "Silver" but the coverage quality becomes Platinum-level.
Related Terms
- Metal Tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum)
- Deductible
- Copay (Copayment)
- Coinsurance
- Cost-Sharing Reductions (CSR)
Last updated: March 30, 2026.
