Second-Lowest-Cost Silver Plan (SLCSP)
Updated for plan year 2026
In plain terms
The Second-Lowest-Cost Silver Plan (SLCSP) is exactly what it sounds like: the silver plan with the second-lowest premium available in your area. It serves as the benchmark for calculating your premium tax credit. The marketplace compares the SLCSP premium to a set percentage of your income, and the difference becomes your credit. Because plan prices are local, the SLCSP, and therefore your subsidy, varies by county even at the same income. You can apply the resulting credit to any metal tier.
A plain example
In your county the SLCSP costs $560 a month. Based on your income, your expected contribution is $300, so your premium tax credit is $260. Move to a county where the SLCSP is $640 at the same income, and your credit rises to $340. The benchmark changed, so the subsidy did too, even though you earn the same.
Why it matters
The SLCSP is the hidden number behind your subsidy. You don't have to buy it, but its price sets the size of your credit, which is why the same income yields different help in different counties, and why a quiet change in local plan prices can change what you pay.
A common point of confusion
You don't have to enroll in the SLCSP to get the credit it generates, since it's only the yardstick. Your actual credit can be applied to any tier, so people often use it toward a cheaper bronze plan or a richer gold one.