How do I compare two health plans?

Add the annual premium to your expected out-of-pocket costs (deductible plus coinsurance up to the out-of-pocket maximum) for each plan. The lower total wins for your expected usage; also check the worst-case total.

Is a high-deductible plan cheaper?

Often yes if you are healthy, because the premium savings and any HSA contribution outweigh the higher deductible. If you expect significant care, a low-deductible plan usually costs less overall.

What is the out-of-pocket maximum?

The most you pay for covered in-network care in a plan year, including the deductible and coinsurance but not premiums. After you hit it, the plan pays 100 percent of covered services.

Free calculator

Health Insurance Calculator

The sticker price of a health plan is the premium. The real price is the premium plus what you pay when you use it. This calculator shows the true annual cost for your expected level of care.

How the health insurance calculator works

Your spending on a plan follows three phases:

Below the deductible — you pay 100% of allowed costs (except pre-deductible copays and free preventive care).
Between deductible and out-of-pocket max — you pay the coinsurance percentage, the plan pays the rest.
At the out-of-pocket max — you pay nothing more for covered in-network care that year.

True annual cost = (Monthly premium × 12) + min(out-of-pocket for expected care, OOP max) − employer/HSA contribution

Three numbers to compare between plans

Scenario	What it tells you
Best case (premiums only)	Your floor if you barely use care.
Expected case	Your most likely total based on the care you anticipate.
Worst case (premiums + OOP max)	Your ceiling if you have a major medical event.

How to optimize what you pay

Match the plan to your usage. Healthy year ahead? A high-deductible plan with an HSA often wins. Surgery or a baby planned? A low-deductible plan usually costs less overall.
Use the HSA triple tax advantage — deductible contributions, tax-free growth, tax-free medical withdrawals.
Stay in network. Out-of-network care often doesn't count toward your out-of-pocket max.
Take free preventive care — ACA plans cover it at 100% before the deductible.
Check the drug formulary for anything you take regularly; tier placement can swing your cost by thousands.