Kate Ashford

Well, I'm a health insurance nerd, but even to me, open enrollment feels like homework. You've got to wade through the fine print, and you've got to do some math, and it all feels a little tedious. Actually, it really feels a lot tedious.

Well, I'm a health insurance nerd, but even to me, open enrollment feels like homework. You've got to wade through the fine print, and you've got to do some math, and it all feels a little tedious. Actually, it really feels a lot tedious.

Sure. The premium is what you pay each month for your health insurance. If you're getting insurance through work, this is probably taken right out of your paycheck. And the deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before your health insurance starts to cover things.

Sure. The premium is what you pay each month for your health insurance. If you're getting insurance through work, this is probably taken right out of your paycheck. And the deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before your health insurance starts to cover things.

Sure. The premium is what you pay each month for your health insurance. If you're getting insurance through work, this is probably taken right out of your paycheck. And the deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before your health insurance starts to cover things.

So if your plan has a deductible of $500, you'll pay for the first $500 of medical costs before your insurance starts to cover things.

So if your plan has a deductible of $500, you'll pay for the first $500 of medical costs before your insurance starts to cover things.

So if your plan has a deductible of $500, you'll pay for the first $500 of medical costs before your insurance starts to cover things.

It's really about anticipating how much health care you typically need or use each year and If you see the doctor a lot, if you have a chronic condition or you have small children, you're pregnant, you might want to plan with higher premiums but lower copays or maybe a cheaper plan like an HMO. If you're healthy, you're not doing a lot other than your annual physical and flu vaccine.

It's really about anticipating how much health care you typically need or use each year and If you see the doctor a lot, if you have a chronic condition or you have small children, you're pregnant, you might want to plan with higher premiums but lower copays or maybe a cheaper plan like an HMO. If you're healthy, you're not doing a lot other than your annual physical and flu vaccine.

It's really about anticipating how much health care you typically need or use each year and If you see the doctor a lot, if you have a chronic condition or you have small children, you're pregnant, you might want to plan with higher premiums but lower copays or maybe a cheaper plan like an HMO. If you're healthy, you're not doing a lot other than your annual physical and flu vaccine.

Maybe you've got a sore throat here and there. You might go for the higher deductible plan with low premiums and just pay out of pocket for the care you need. The high deductible plan can feel like a scary choice, but if you've got the money to cover your upfront costs, it can be cheaper overall.

Maybe you've got a sore throat here and there. You might go for the higher deductible plan with low premiums and just pay out of pocket for the care you need. The high deductible plan can feel like a scary choice, but if you've got the money to cover your upfront costs, it can be cheaper overall.

Maybe you've got a sore throat here and there. You might go for the higher deductible plan with low premiums and just pay out of pocket for the care you need. The high deductible plan can feel like a scary choice, but if you've got the money to cover your upfront costs, it can be cheaper overall.

Oh, yeah, that can definitely happen. That said, you really have to run the numbers to see which plan is better for you. You might find that even if you anticipate a lot of health needs, a high deductible plan isn't the worst case scenario because the lower premiums balance out the higher care costs.

Oh, yeah, that can definitely happen. That said, you really have to run the numbers to see which plan is better for you. You might find that even if you anticipate a lot of health needs, a high deductible plan isn't the worst case scenario because the lower premiums balance out the higher care costs.

Oh, yeah, that can definitely happen. That said, you really have to run the numbers to see which plan is better for you. You might find that even if you anticipate a lot of health needs, a high deductible plan isn't the worst case scenario because the lower premiums balance out the higher care costs.

I think people forget about the amount they're paying in premiums for a traditional plan because it comes right out of your paycheck. You never see it, but it's a cost and you have to factor it in. The other thing about a high deductible plan is that some companies kick in a contribution to your health savings account, which you can use to pay for care pre-tax. So that lowers the cost also.

I think people forget about the amount they're paying in premiums for a traditional plan because it comes right out of your paycheck. You never see it, but it's a cost and you have to factor it in. The other thing about a high deductible plan is that some companies kick in a contribution to your health savings account, which you can use to pay for care pre-tax. So that lowers the cost also.

I think people forget about the amount they're paying in premiums for a traditional plan because it comes right out of your paycheck. You never see it, but it's a cost and you have to factor it in. The other thing about a high deductible plan is that some companies kick in a contribution to your health savings account, which you can use to pay for care pre-tax. So that lowers the cost also.