It's not a subsidized catastrophic. The subsidy is pegged to the 2nd cheapest silver plan in your area. Silver is 2 steps above catastrophic coverage (catastrophic > bronze > silver > gold > platinum).
The subsidy is calculated so that you won't have to pay more than x% of your income for the 2nd cheapest silver plan. 2% of your income if you make between 100% and 133% of the federal poverty level, and 9.5% if you make between 300% and than 400%. With a sliding scale in between.
The real problem happens when you make below the poverty level, but you live in a state that hasn't expanded medicaid. Then thanks to the governor's of those states, you get nothing.
The subsidy is calculated so that you won't have to pay more than x% of your income for the 2nd cheapest silver plan. 2% of your income if you make between 100% and 133% of the federal poverty level, and 9.5% if you make between 300% and than 400%. With a sliding scale in between.
Here's what the sliver plan covers. http://www.medicoverage.com/health-insurance-blog/news/silve...
The real problem happens when you make below the poverty level, but you live in a state that hasn't expanded medicaid. Then thanks to the governor's of those states, you get nothing.