Health Insurance Cost Calculator
The premium is the part you pay whether or not you need care. A cheap premium with a high deductible is a bet. This costs both plans across the year you actually expect.
Cheaper this year
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- Plan A costs you all in
- $0
- Plan B costs you all in
- $0
- The difference
- $0
- Worst case on Plan A
- $0
- Worst case on Plan B
- $0
Where the money goes
Each block is sized by its share, so you can see whether plan A costs you all in or plan B costs you all in is the bigger part without reading a single number.
Move it and watch
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at {v} for medical care you expect, at full price
And what you can change
Why your own figure may differ
Both plans across a range of years
Plans swap places depending on how much care you need. This is why a premium comparison misleads.
| Care you need | Plan A total | Plan B total | Cheaper |
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You pay the deductible first, then your coinsurance share of everything above it, until you reach the out-of-pocket maximum - after which the plan pays everything. Total cost is the premiums for the year plus whatever of that you actually paid.
Health insurance costs: real examples
The same two plans, three different years. Click any card to load it.
- A healthy year
$500 of care
Barely see a doctor.
Plan A wins easily at $3,500 against $5,900. Almost nothing is claimed, so the premium is nearly the whole cost.
Load this scenario in the calculator → - The plans swap places
$30,000 of care
A serious year, not a catastrophic one.
Plan B now wins at $7,900 against $9,000 - despite costing nearly twice as much in premiums. This is where premium comparisons mislead most.
Load this scenario in the calculator → - A bad year
$60,000 of care
Serious illness or an accident.
Both hit their ceiling, so the answer is decided entirely by premium plus that ceiling. Plan B wins at $7,900 against $9,000.
Load this scenario in the calculator →
Common questions about health insurance costs
Why is the cheapest premium often not the cheapest plan?
Because the premium is only the part you pay whether or not you need care. A low premium usually comes with a high deductible, so a year with real medical needs costs far more. The only fair comparison is total cost across a realistic year.
What is a deductible?
The amount you pay yourself before the plan starts contributing. A $5,000 deductible means the first $5,000 of care is yours. It resets every year, which is why timing treatment across a year boundary can cost you twice.
What is the out-of-pocket maximum?
The most you can be made to pay in a year, after which the plan covers everything. It is the single most important number on any plan, because it is the worst case. A plan with a low premium and a high maximum is a bet, and this shows you what losing it costs.
What is coinsurance?
The share you keep paying after the deductible is met - often around a fifth. So after the deductible you are not free, you are just paying less. It continues until you hit the out-of-pocket maximum.
How do I pick between plans?
Cost them across three years: a healthy one, a normal one, and a bad one. The right plan is usually the one that is acceptable in all three rather than the best in one. This tool prices whichever year you enter.
Does a high-deductible plan have any advantage?
Yes - it can usually be paired with a health savings account, which is the only account untaxed going in, growing and coming out. If you can afford the deductible, that tax treatment can outweigh the higher risk.