These plans aren’t a good fit, however, for
people who would put off necessary care
rather than pay out of pocket. If you don’t have
enough savings to cover medical costs until the
deductible is satisfied, consider spending more
for a lower-deductible plan.
Just don’t pay an extra $500 to lower your
deductible by $250, as many people did in
that first study. If you’re allowed to choose
different deductibles for the same plan,
multiply the difference in premiums by 12 to
get your yearly cost and compare that to the
difference in deductibles.
CALL YOUR DOCTORS
If you have physicians and specialists you
prefer, call their offices to ask if they are in the
network of the plans you’re considering. It’s
important to ask “Are you in network?” rather
than “Do you take this insurance?” A provider
who’s not in the network may be willing to bill
your insurer, but you’ll typically pay a (much)
larger share of the cost.