With so many variables, comparing health insurance plans can be really hard. What will they pay and what will they cost when you actually use them?
This calculator is especially good at helping you rule out the bad deals and focus on the better ones. Enter premiums (after subsidies) and other values for the plans you’re considering, then roll over the lines in the graph to see your total outlays.
Example: Why would anyone buy the purple plan here for an extra thousand dollars a year, instead of the green plan, which offers the same or better financial protection? Turn off the blue and orange checkboxes to see that comparison clearly, and zoom the X axis to get a close-up look at how more-typical healthy years will play out.
Note: For zero-percent coinsurance, if you enter zero for the coinsurance percentage, the graph will show you never paying more than the deductible. To see realistic out-of-pocket exposure, enter some percentage — 10% or whatever — in this field.