Jackie Fortier

The $50 copay won't count toward the annual out-of-pocket limit.

The pilot also expires in December 2027, with no guarantee that the drugs will be covered under traditional Medicare after it ends.

After some financial help from the government ended in January, many found the only Affordable Care Act plans they could swing each month came with steep deductibles.

That means higher costs before insurance pays.

Some people are skipping care altogether.

Thomas Lehman, a dog walker in Atlanta, saw his deductible jump to $7,500 this year.

These plans are also becoming more common in the workplace.

In 2023, 30 percent of people with employer insurance had a high deductible plan, up from 4 percent in 2006.

Jackie Fortier of KFF Health News explains.

After some financial help from the government ended in January, many found the only Affordable Care Act plans they could swing each month came with steep deductibles.

That means higher costs before insurance pays.

Some people are skipping care altogether.

Thomas Lehman, a dog walker in Atlanta, saw his deductible jump to $7,500 this year.

These plans are also becoming more common in the workplace.

In 2023, 30 percent of people with employer insurance had a high deductible plan, up from 4 percent in 2006.

That's Jackie Fortier from KFF Health News reporting.