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Quick answer
What does the Health insurance plan comparison calculate?
Which health plan costs less for the care spending you enter? This calculator uses expected covered care charges, plan a annual premium, plan a deductible, plan a coinsurance after deductible, plan a out-of-pocket limit, plan b annual premium, plan b deductible, plan b coinsurance after deductible, and plan b out-of-pocket limit to estimate estimated annual plan cost immediately in your browser.
With the values currently entered, the result is Plan A — has the lower estimated annual cost. It also shows plan a total, plan b total, estimated difference, and care cost a · b.
How to use the Health insurance plan comparison
- Replace the example values with your own numbers.
- Review the result and supporting figures as they update automatically.
- Check the formula and assumptions before using the estimate for a decision.
Inputs used
- Expected covered care charges
- Plan A annual premium
- Plan A deductible
- Plan A coinsurance after deductible — entered in %
- Plan A out-of-pocket limit
- Plan B annual premium
- Plan B deductible
- Plan B coinsurance after deductible — entered in %
- Plan B out-of-pocket limit
Health insurance plan comparison formula
Annual cost = premium + min(out-of-pocket limit, deductible portion + coinsurance portion)
Assumptions
- All expected care is covered, in network, and subject to one combined deductible.
- Copays, exclusions, family rules, employer contributions, and non-covered charges are excluded.
Verify the inputs
Authoritative sources
These sources explain the definitions, factors, or rules behind this tool. Their geographic scope is shown because an official source for one country is not automatically valid somewhere else.
Regulator-backed explanations of policy types, claims, terms, and state insurance contacts.
Insurance consumer protectionEuropean Insurance and Occupational Pensions AuthorityScope: European UnionEU consumer information and supervisory guidance for insurance products and protections.
Sources do not endorse Calculum. Check the source date, scope, and your own documents before making a financial, tax, insurance, or reporting decision.
Practical guide
Health insurance plan comparison example and edge cases
Which health plan costs less for the care spending you enter? Let's use a concrete example, then look at the assumptions that can move the answer.
Example: A practical health insurance plan comparison scenario
For this example, use expected covered care charges of 5,000, plan a annual premium of 3,600, plan a deductible of 1,500, plan a coinsurance after deductible of 20 %, plan a out-of-pocket limit of 6,000, plan b annual premium of 4,800, plan b deductible of 750, plan b coinsurance after deductible of 10 %, and plan b out-of-pocket limit of 3,000. These are starting values, so replace them with numbers that match your situation.
- Expected covered care charges
- 5,000
- Plan A annual premium
- 3,600
- Plan A deductible
- 1,500
- Plan A coinsurance after deductible
- 20 %
- Plan A out-of-pocket limit
- 6,000
- Plan B annual premium
- 4,800
- Plan B deductible
- 750
- Plan B coinsurance after deductible
- 10 %
- Plan B out-of-pocket limit
- 3,000
Calculated resultPlan Ahas the lower estimated annual cost
Start with has the lower estimated annual cost. Then check plan a total, plan b total, estimated difference, and care cost a · b to understand what sits behind the main result.
Example results use the default display profile. The calculator above follows your selected country and units.
How to read the result
- Read the main result first. The supporting figures for plan a total, plan b total, estimated difference, and care cost a · b explain how the estimate is built.
- The method is Annual cost = premium + min(out-of-pocket limit, deductible portion + coinsurance portion). Keep the units consistent and use values from the same time period.
Edge cases worth checking
When expected covered care charges is unusual
All expected care is covered, in network, and subject to one combined deductible. Double-check this input before relying on the result.
When plan b out-of-pocket limit is uncertain
Copays, exclusions, family rules, employer contributions, and non-covered charges are excluded. Run a lower and higher value to see a useful range.
What changes the result most
Expected covered care charges
Use a current amount for expected covered care charges. Include fees or recurring costs that belong in the same figure.
Plan A annual premium
Use a current amount for plan a annual premium. Include fees or recurring costs that belong in the same figure.
Plan A deductible
Use a current amount for plan a deductible. Include fees or recurring costs that belong in the same figure.
Try a different scenario
Small changes show whether the answer is stable or sensitive.
Expected covered care charges: 10% lower
4,500Plan Ahas the lower estimated annual cost
Expected covered care charges: 10% higher
5,500Plan Ahas the lower estimated annual cost
Plan A annual premium: 10% higher
3,960Plan Bhas the lower estimated annual cost
Common mistakes
Check expected covered care charges
All expected care is covered, in network, and subject to one combined deductible. Make sure this matches the number you enter.
Keep plan b out-of-pocket limit consistent
Copays, exclusions, family rules, employer contributions, and non-covered charges are excluded. Use the same units and time period throughout the calculation.
Do not rely on one health insurance plan comparison scenario
Run a cautious case and an optimistic case. The range is often more useful than one exact-looking number.
Use this result well
Which health plan costs less for the care spending you enter?
The policy wording, exclusions, limits, and insurer decision control real coverage.