High-Deductible Health Plans Shift Thousands in Up-Front Costs to Patients

A patient on a bronze plan may have to pay $5,800 in medical bills before insurance coverage begins. This shift in cost occurs because many consumers switched to high-deductible health plans to keep monthly payments low after enhanced federal subsidies expired at the end of 2025, causing monthly rates to jump. These plans offer lower premiums in exchange for steeper out-of-pocket costs. To manage these expenses, patients in bronze or catastrophic plans can open health savings accounts (HSAs). HSAs allow users to save pretax money for qualified medical expenses, which lowers the taxable income of the account holder. For 2026, the IRS limits annual HSA contributions to $4,400 for an individual and $8,750 for a family plan.