Buying insurance from Florida Blue directly (does that still qualify for Essential coverage/pre-existing etc?)

If you go off the exchange, make sure you are buying an ACA plan. For example, all of MN’s neighbors except SD (Wellmark doesn’t sell BCBS to individuals) offer non-ACA plans more directly. In many WI counties, non-ACA is all Anthem BCBS sells (not that they tell you).

Also, be advised that you’ll lose qualifying life events by going off the exchange. Two examples, among many:

Change in income, whether up or down, as your plan was not tied to that.

I.e. if you would’ve qualified for subsidies at some point later in the year…tough, you’re paying the same until 2023.

By the same token, some people enter or leave the CSR, HIPP, or (some states) extra help areas during the year.

Change in household, which is now directional.

E.g. you could tell BCBS to cancel your plan if your new spouses’ employer allows mid-year enrollment (not all do).

If you attempt to add your new spouse to your off-marketplace BCBS plan, you’ll likely be forced to restart on a two-person (sometimes aggregated deductible) plan.

By contrast, some state marketplaces allow for pooling.

I.e. you have the marketplace switch both of you to the same household tax credit and, as long as the individual subsidies total up, stay on two different plans (avoiding a reset or aggregate deductible).