How it works
When both parents can get coverage at work, there are four common ways to cover the family: everyone on one plan, everyone on the other, or one of two splits. Each way puts people in a different premium tier, and a spousal surcharge only applies when the plan holder's spouse is on the plan. For care, each person pays toward the deductible up to the individual amount on an embedded plan; on an aggregate plan, everyone's bills count toward one family deductible. Then coinsurance, up to each person's out-of-pocket maximum and the family maximum. In the example, everyone on the PPO costs $11,320 ($7,920 of premiums including the $1,200 surcharge, and $3,400 of care), but putting the spouse on the other job's HDHP drops the surcharge and the premiums to $5,280: $10,340 for the year after $750 of employer HSA money, even though care costs more.