Health Plan True Cost Calculator
Compare two health plans by yearly premiums, expected costs, employer HSA/HRA money, and bad-year exposure before you submit benefits.
Compare total yearly cost, not just the paycheck deduction
Enter the premium per paycheck, expected costs, out-of-pocket max, and employer HSA/HRA money for two plans.
Read: Premium, Deductible, and Out-of-Pocket MaxMost biweekly workers use 26.
Plan A
Employee share only.
Expected covered in-network cost-sharing before premiums.
Covered in-network cap. Do not include premiums.
Annual employer contribution or plan credit.
Plan B
Employee share only.
Expected covered in-network cost-sharing before premiums.
Covered in-network cap. Do not include premiums.
Annual employer contribution or plan credit.
- Expected total = annual employee premium + expected covered care cost - employer HSA/HRA money.
- Expected covered care is capped at the in-network out-of-pocket max so a typo does not overstate the expected-year estimate.
- Bad-year exposure = annual employee premium + in-network out-of-pocket max - employer HSA/HRA money.
- Lowest premium is not automatically the best plan if the deductible, network, prescriptions, or OOP max are materially worse.
Plan B looks stronger on both expected cost and bad-year exposure.
The cheapest premium is not always the cheapest plan
Open enrollment portals often emphasize the paycheck deduction because it is easy to display. A better comparison also includes the deductible, expected use, network quality, employer contributions, and the worst-case covered in-network ceiling.
Finish the open enrollment decision
A lower total-cost estimate is useful, but it should not be the only screen before submitting benefit elections.
Open Enrollment Guide
Use the ordered guide before submitting health, tax account, disability, life, and supplemental elections.
Out-of-Pocket Max Estimator
Stress-test how a large covered in-network claim could move you toward the yearly cap.
Paycheck Impact Calculator
Estimate how benefit elections may change take-home pay after pre-tax and after-tax deductions.
Medication Coverage Checklist
Verify formulary tiers, prior authorization, quantity limits, and preferred pharmacy pricing.
Sources to verify the terms
Use your employer plan documents and insurer directories for final decisions. These official sources define key cost terms used in the calculator.
Need the full tool library?
Return to all calculators for HSA/FSA choices, supplemental benefits, bills, Medicare, student loans, and healthcare-worker pay.
Add the health-plan result to the complete employer package
Compare healthcare exposure alongside retirement, compensation, leave, protection benefits, family support, and schedule tradeoffs.