The Trump administration is proposing an Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace overhaul that would allow new health plans to carry deductibles as high as $15,000 for individuals and $31,000 for families, in exchange for lower monthly premiums, according to The New York Times (1).

The proposed cap would be roughly eight times last year's average job-based single-coverage deductible of $1,886, according to KFF (2).

Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how

Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake — here’s what it is and the simple steps to fix it ASAP

Turning 50 with $0 saved for retirement? Most people don’t realize they’re actually just entering their prime earning decade. Here are 6 ways to catch up fast

As Dr. Mehmet Oz — administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees the ACA marketplaces — explained, "The goal is simple: lower costs, more choice, and exchanges that work as intended."

But health policy experts are skeptical. "We're normalizing hardship, and we're normalizing catastrophe," Katherine Hempstead, senior policy adviser at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, told the Times.

And the potential fallout could be significant. As KFF reports, this new plan could cause up to two million people to drop health care coverage (3). Meanwhile, the damage may already be underway: enrollment for ACA plans in 2026 fell by more than one million people, a decline widely attributed to the expiration of enhanced subsidies at the end of 2025, which caused premiums to double or more for millions of families.

Even if this proposal stays on the drawing board for now, health care costs are already climbing fast. According to a report from Knowledge of Financial Education, more than half of Americans have outstanding medical bills or medical debt (4). That means knowing how to protect yourself financially has never been more important.

If you're enrolled in or considering a high-deductible health care plan, your most powerful financial tool is a Health Savings Account (HSA). Starting in 2026, this option expanded significantly.

Thanks to recent legislation signed by Trump, all Bronze and Catastrophic marketplace plans became HSA-eligible for the first time, according to HealthCare.gov (5). That means a much wider range of lower-premium plans now unlock access to tax-advantaged health care savings.

Read More: Vanguard reveals what could be coming for U.S. stocks, and it’s raising alarm bells for retirees. Here’s why and how to protect yourself

HSAs offer what's called a "triple tax advantage": contributions reduce your taxable income, money grows tax-free and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are also tax-free. Plus, unlike flexible spending accounts, HSA funds roll over indefinitely — you never lose unused dollars — and the balance can be invested for long-term growth, according to Lively (6).

For 2026, HSA contribution limits rose to $4,400 for individual coverage and $8,750 for family coverage. Those 55 and older can contribute an extra $1,000 as a catch-up contribution (7).

So, the math can work in your favor. If you're generally healthy and can contribute to an HSA consistently, the premium savings combined with a growing account balance can offset the higher deductible exposure, especially across multiple years.

Related: How to lower your health insurance costs

If you're uninsured or need to switch plans, you don't have to wait for open enrollment. Special enrollment periods are triggered by qualifying life events — marriage, the birth of a child or loss of other coverage (8). KFF also notes that Bronze plans tend to offer the best balance of lower premiums and HSA pairing flexibility, making them worth a close look during any enrollment window (9).

Once you're on a plan, request an itemized bill after a health care procedure and ask for a full line-by-line breakdown of charges. This makes it easier to spot duplicates, billing codes for services you didn't receive or inflated pricing. According to Healthsure Hub, 49% to 80% of medical bills contain at least one error, and statements over $10,000 carry an average billing mistake of $1,300 (10).

Before negotiating over a medical bill, research fair pricing. FAIR Health Consumer is a free tool that shows what providers in your area typically charge for specific procedures, both in network and out of network. Armed with that data, you're in a much stronger position to push back.

If paying a medical bill in full isn't possible, ask about a payment plan or financial assistance programs. Many hospitals offer interest-free installments. In fact, nonprofit hospitals are required by federal law to have these programs in place, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes, but providers don't always volunteer the information (11).

Finally, appeal any denied claims. Private insurers reject roughly one in seven claims, yet only a fraction of those denials ever get challenged, according to Healthsure Hub (10). If you believe a denied claim should be covered, file a formal appeal. It costs nothing, and denied claims often stem from avoidable errors.

The average tax refund could hit $3,500 in 2026. Here’s how to turn that juicy check into a long-term retirement win

Robert Kiyosaki says this 1 asset will surge 400% in a year — and he begs investors not to miss its ‘explosion’

Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

Warren Buffett used these 8 repeatable money rules to turn $9,800 into a $150B fortune. Start using them today to get rich (and stay rich)

Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywise’s best stories and exclusive interviews first — clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.

We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.

New York Times (1); KFF Health News (2, 3, 9); Knowledge of Financial Education (4); HealthCare.gov (5, 8); Lively (6); Fidelity (7); Healthsure Hub (10); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (11).

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.