[noneTheHacker]

That is true but even if you have to shell out $5000 up front once, you are still paying $2000 less by the end of the year. So it's like your risk is $2000 greater but you save it by the end of the year, even if that risk was actualized.

Also, it's important to look yearly rather than just as separate events because the out of pocket max resets yearly rather than per event.

[noneTheHacker]

Thinking in more detail about it, Because I am starting insurance halfway through the year, I will actually have around 13 pay periods rather than 26. So that shows the chart in a different light as well. Solution 2500 isn't the clear winner at 13 pay periods that it was at 26.