Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became law, Americans have faced soaring health care insurance premiums, which have more than doubled since 2013.

The rise in deductibles has worsened the affordability crisis, creating a dual challenge for consumers. While government subsidies are often promoted as a solution, they simply mask the increasing costs without tackling the underlying issues, thus preventing consumers from realizing the actual expense of healthcare.

A little-known alternative under the ACA, Copper plans, offers high deductibles but lower premiums, generally 20 to 30 percent less than Bronze plans and up to 60 percent less than Platinum plans.

For quite some time, Copper plans were seldom used due to strict federal regulations. This changed with the Trump administration’s recent introduction of “hardship exemptions,” enabling many more Americans to access these plans during the 2026 open enrollment period.

As with all ACA offerings, Copper plans include coverage of the 10 essential health benefits, offer preventive services at no additional cost, and do not deny coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Opponents argue that high deductibles could discourage patients from seeking care, potentially worsening their health. However, combining Copper plans with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Direct Primary Care (DPC) agreements helps alleviate this issue.