In Health Care, Copper Is the New Gold

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

Surging deductibles have compounded the issue, creating a double whammy to affordability. Government subsidies, often touted as relief, merely mask the skyrocketing prices rather than addressing the root causes, thereby obscuring consumers from the true cost of care.

A lesser-known ACA option, Copper plans, feature high deductibles but significantly lower premiums, typically 20 to 30 percent less than Bronze plans and up to 60 percent less than Platinum plans.

For many years, Copper plans have been rarely utilized due to substantial restrictions at the federal level. However, that has changed since the Trump administration’s recent "hardship exemptions," which now allow many more Americans to purchase them during the open enrollment period for 2026.

Like all ACA plans, Copper plans cover the 10 essential health benefits with no cost for preventive services and no denials for pre-existing conditions.

Critics argue that high deductibles may lead patients to delay care, potentially worsening health outcomes. But pairing Copper plans with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Direct Primary Care (DPC) agreements mitigates this concern.

DPC practices operate on an insurance-free, subscription-based model, offering same- or next-day appointments, extended visits, and after-hours access without copays. Since DPC physicians are prepaid through memberships, patients can access care without worrying about deductible costs.

DPC providers handle about 80 percent of medical issues in-house, addressing most needs at no additional cost. For more complex issues requiring specialists, DPC physicians function as a trusted advisor, reassuring the patient that they have a situation justifying seeking care within the insurance context.

HSAs are tax-free investment accounts that can be used for medical expenses. The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) clarified that HSAs can be used to cover DPC memberships. By doing so, OBBB augmented the synergy between Copper plans and DPC by allowing tax-free HSA funds to be used for the already low-cost DPC memberships, which average $80 per month, making them even more affordable.

The timing of these changes could not be better as HSA-linked Copper plans with DPC could function as a cost-effective, self-funded option for those impacted by Medicaid reductions or unsubsidized Obamacare plans. By making coverage more affordable, these plans may help patients avoid fickle government largesse and gain self-sufficiency confidence.

Policymakers could take these plans even further. Since ACA plans must include 10 essential health benefits—and Direct Primary Care (DPC) practices already provide many of them, ACA guidelines should be revised to allow Copper Plans to integrate with DPC. This reform would let insurers exclude from premiums the benefits already covered by DPC, sparing consumers from paying twice for the same care and making coverage more affordable.

Finally, the incentive structure for selling health insurance should change to minimize the incentive for insurance agents to oversell high-cost ACA plans and instead act more in a fiduciary role, ensuring the patient is truly getting the coverage best suited to their situation.

With these changes, a true transformation could occur within health care with fewer people dependent on the fractious governmental system while gaining the confidence that comes with quality, affordable health care, and self-sufficiency.

Chad Savage, M.D., is a Heartland Institute policy advisor, Founder of YourChoice Direct Care, Docs 4 Patient Care Foundation policy fellow, and the president of DPC Action.

Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.

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