HDHP vs PPO Calculator
Pull both plans from your open-enrollment packet - your premium share, each deductible, what the employer seeds into the HSA - and take a straight guess at what this year of care costs you. The calculator totals each plan and shows the crossover point where the PPO takes over.
Plan-comparison charts stop at the premium difference and quietly bury the deductible gap. The honest model here is premiums plus costs up to each deductible minus free employer money - and it says plainly: a healthy year favors the HDHP, a planned surgery or a baby tips it hard, and the seed is yours to claim either way.
How to use
- Copy each plan premium from the enrollment packet - your share, not the employer total.
- Enter both deductibles and the employer HSA seed if the HDHP carries one.
- Estimate expected care honestly - routine prescriptions and a dental visit, or a known procedure.
Frequently asked questions
When does the HDHP beat the PPO?
When premiums plus your expected costs stay under what the PPO would charge - typically for households with light, predictable care. The crossover in the calculator is the exact care level where the verdict flips at your numbers.
Do HDHPs cover anything before the deductible?
Yes - since 2020, preventive care including annual physicals, vaccinations and certain screenings is covered before the deductible on HSA-qualified plans. Sick care is what waits behind the deductible.
Is an HSA-qualified HDHP risky if something big happens?
The out-of-pocket maximum caps the damage, and tax-free HSA money - yours plus the employer seed - pays toward it. The bigger risk is cash flow: you need savings to front the deductible and be reimbursed later.
Can I switch plans every year?
Yes - open enrollment resets annually, and job changes or qualifying life events allow mid-year switches. Re-running this comparison each fall with fresh premiums is the whole game.