For healthy people who want a safety net
Peace of mind shouldn't cost a fortune.
Like car insurance for your health — affordable, and you'll be glad it's there if anything big happens. For everyday care, we shop for you so you actually save. No one else does that.
New for 2026 · open to most
The car-insurance analogy
Insurance focused on what's truly big, rare, and expensive. Premiums kept low because it doesn't get involved with routine care.
Pay the best price for everyday care — we shop for you and hand you affordable, high-quality options.
real savings
Wellward's two-part promise
Cheap insurance is only half of it.
Anyone can sell you a low premium. The savings that actually move the needle are in the care you pay cash for — and that's the part everyone else skips.
A real catastrophic plan protects you from the big stuff.
A genuine ACA catastrophic plan — or our $89/mo plan — shields you from big, rare, expensive events. It's cheap precisely because you're healthy and unlikely to need it. That's the whole point of insurance.
You pay out of pocket for everyday care. So we shop it for you.
We call providers, gather cash-pay prices, and hand you the best option. That's where the money is won or lost — and where every other broker sells you a plan and leaves you on your own.
Why this is finally an option for you
Catastrophic plans were restricted to under-30s for years. For 2026, regulators opened them to almost anyone who doesn't get subsidies — because premiums are spiking and people need an affordable option.
Option A
What an ACA catastrophic plan is.
A genuine ACA major-medical plan, with all the protections that implies.
All 10 essential benefits
Every ACA essential health benefit is covered — it's real major-medical insurance.
Preventive care free
Free preventive care plus 3 primary-care visits before the deductible even applies.
Pre-existing covered
Pre-existing conditions are covered, and there are no lifetime limits.
A hard ceiling
Once you hit the deductible, you're fully covered for the rest of the year.
The deductible equals your out-of-pocket max.
You pay cash for nearly all care until you hit it — then you're fully covered. No subsidies, and it's not offered in every state. The flip side: you'll likely never reach it, which means you're effectively self-pay — and smart shopping becomes the whole game.
$89/mo, fixed
A flat monthly price for individuals, with no deductible to meet.
Cash for the scary stuff
Paid directly for accident, heart attack, stroke, coma, or cancer.
Cancel anytime
No contract and no lock-in — stop whenever you like.
Care-finding included
We shop your everyday cash-pay care for the best price.
Honest side-by-side
Two affordable options, compared.
You don't buy the cheapest car insurance and then overpay every time you fill the tank. Same logic here. We can be your broker for either option.
Decision guide
Which is right for you?
It comes down to your preferences. Here's the honest split.
Lean catastrophic if…
- You want a hard cap on your total annual out-of-pocket.
- You have or expect ongoing care and want it to count toward a deductible.
- You want the full set of ACA protections behind you.
Lean Wellward Insurance if…
- You want the lowest possible premium.
- You want guaranteed cash for the scary stuff, with no deductible.
- You value simplicity and freedom to see any provider you want.
The plan is only half the answer
Same MRI. $400 here, $2,500 a mile away.
With either plan you're paying cash for almost everything — so where you get care is where your money is won or lost. This is exactly where everyone else abandons you: a broker sells the plan and vanishes.
Wellward calls the providers, gathers cash-pay prices, and brings you the best options. Every time. We get better prices because we call more options than you will, and we benchmark.
Illustrative example.
Broker + care team
We help either way.
We find you the best catastrophic plan for you, or set you up on Wellward Insurance — and also help you with care-finding.
Your broker
We enroll you in a catastrophic plan at no extra cost, or set you up on Wellward Insurance — whichever fits.
Your navigator
Either way, we call providers, gather cash-pay prices, and hand you the best option — all year long.
On your side
A fiduciary by design: our recommendations are aligned to you, never to a commission.
We're a fiduciary. We recommend what fits you — not what pays us. If catastrophic is the better deal for your situation, that's what we'll tell you.
How it works
From here to covered.
Tell us your situation
Your health, budget, state, and what you're worried about.
We lay out the options
Catastrophic vs. Wellward vs. something else, side by side, with a clear recommendation.
Enroll
We handle the paperwork and get you covered at the best rate.
We shop your care
All year, we find the best cash-pay prices so you actually save.
Catastrophic FAQ
Questions, answered straight.
For 2026, catastrophic plans opened up well beyond the old under-30 limit — they're now available to almost anyone who doesn't qualify for subsidies. We'll confirm your eligibility when you tell us your situation.
On a catastrophic plan the deductible equals the out-of-pocket maximum — $10,600 in 2026. You pay cash for nearly all care until you reach it, and after that you're covered 100% for the rest of the year. Most healthy people never get close, which is exactly why shopping your cash-pay care matters so much.
No. Catastrophic plans are not eligible for premium subsidies. If you qualify for meaningful subsidies, a regular ACA plan may be cheaper — and we'll tell you if that's the case for you.
It depends on your age, area, and health. Wellward is a flat $89/mo with no deductible; a catastrophic plan's premium varies but comes with a hard out-of-pocket ceiling. We compare both for your situation so you can see the real numbers side by side.
On a catastrophic ACA plan, yes — pre-existing conditions are covered with no lifetime limits, like any major-medical plan. Wellward Insurance is a fixed-benefit product, and a simple questionnaire determines your eligibility; see /insurance for details.
Two ways. First, the plan is there if something serious happens — a major accident or diagnosis can run into the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, and that's exactly what it caps. Second, until then you're effectively self-pay, so we shop your everyday care — calling providers and gathering cash-pay prices to get you the best option. The same MRI can be $400 or $2,500; that gap is your savings.
No. We're your broker and enrollment is at no extra cost to you.
Your situation can change, and so can your plan. If a qualifying event or open enrollment makes a richer plan the better fit, we'll help you move — the same fiduciary advice applies.
Affordable cover, and a team that shops your care.
Tell us your situation — we'll lay out catastrophic vs. Wellward, enroll you at no extra cost, and shop your care all year. No one else does that.
No subsidy needed · We're your broker, free · Care-finding included