Family Health Plan Chooser

When both spouses have employer coverage, open enrollment turns into a puzzle: everyone on one plan, or split up — and the kids go with whom? The cheapest premium isn't always the cheapest year. Enter both plans' numbers and see all four options side by side: a healthy year, an average year, a rough year, and the worst case.

Plan A

one spouse's employer plan — e.g. “HDHP”. Used to match shared data when an employer is selected.

Premium per paycheck

Leave a tier blank if your employer doesn't offer it — combos that need it will be skipped.

Deductible (per year)

Out-of-pocket max (per year)

Free money your employer drops into your HSA — it offsets your total cost.

Plan B

the other spouse's employer plan — e.g. “HDHP”. Used to match shared data when an employer is selected.

Premium per paycheck

Leave a tier blank if your employer doesn't offer it — combos that need it will be skipped.

Deductible (per year)

Out-of-pocket max (per year)

Free money your employer drops into your HSA — it offsets your total cost.

Your family & assumptions

Biweekly = 26, twice a month = 24.
Premiums come out of your paycheck pre-tax, so we convert them to after-tax dollars. Leave blank to skip.
The year these numbers describe — shared data is matched by plan year.

Your results

Enter both plans' numbers above, then click to see which option costs less.

How the math works (and what it leaves out)

For each option and each scenario, we add up: (1) the year's premiums, converted to after-tax dollars since premiums are deducted pre-tax; (2) your share of the assumed medical bills — you pay the full bill until the deductible, then the coinsurance %, never more than the out-of-pocket max; (3) minus any HSA money your employer contributes.

What's simplified or left out:

  • Copays aren't modeled — the deductible + coinsurance math covers the big picture.
  • Family deductibles are treated as one bucket; some plans use per-person (“embedded”) deductibles — check your plan.
  • HSA/FSA tax savings beyond the employer's HSA contribution aren't included — there may be additional tax benefits.
  • Shared plan data is crowdsourced: prefilled values are medians of 3+ anonymous contributor submissions for that employer, plan, and plan year. They're a starting point — always verify against your own plan documents.
  • Networks, drug formularies, and whether your doctors are covered aren't numbers — but they matter. Check them before you decide.

Estimate only — not insurance or financial advice. Your plan documents have the final word. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you type ever leaves your device.

Confused by the jargon? The glossary explains deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, coinsurance, and HSAs in plain English.