Even though the election is over and Republicans are in a position to repeal and replace Obamacare as they’ve been vowing to do for several years, that doesn’t mean you should avoid signing up for 2017 insurance coverage.

If you’re eligible and need insurance, the state shopping exchanges are open for business even if options this year are limited in many counties, particularly in rural areas. More than 40 percent of the counties where residents can buy an Obamacare policy have just one insurer selling them. That’s not a lot of choice, and policies that are offered are likely to have high premiums and limited options for doctors and hospitals.

Still, some careful shopping is in order to minimize any surprise bills.

After the election, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest urged Americans to sign up and announced “the vast majority” of eligible consumers would be able to buy insurance for a monthly premium of $75 or less, which has been the administration’s sales pitch.

Assuming the White House math is correct, that doesn’t mean the vast majority should automatically buy a policy with a $75 premium. That strategy can mean expensive trouble later on. Reviewing the basics before wading into the Obamacare marketplace this year is essential.

For starters, recall that platinum policies, generally the most costly, cover 90 percent of someone’s medical costs; gold plans cover 80 percent; silver plans pay 70 percent; and the bronze variety pays the least – only 60 percent of a patient’s healthcare expenses. 

Silver plans have been the most popular, largely because those who buy them and have family incomes below $60,750 get extra government subsidies to help pay their deductibles, copays and coinsurance.

Bronze policies are popular, too, because they have low premiums, but people buying those policies won’t get the extra subsidies, a point that’s worth remembering.

Those subsidies can be a big help if you need a lot of medical services. Both bronze and silver policies generally come with lower monthly premiums, but that doesn’t mean they are cheaper in the long run.

Here’s where comparison-shopping gets tricky. It’s possible a bronze policy and maybe a silver one could end up costing more than a gold one with a higher premium if you get sick.

That’s because of the relationship between the premium, copays, coinsurance and deductibles. Insurers mix and match these features to fit their marketing strategy.

See part two in next week’s Item.

By Trudy Lieberman