Sound familiar
Shopping alone usually goes one of three ways
If any of this rings a bell, you're not doing anything wrong. The process itself is set up to be confusing.
Search online
Your phone won't stop ringing
The moment you fill out a quote form, your number gets passed to a dozen call centers you've never heard of, and the calls don't stop for weeks.
Check the marketplace
The sticker price closes the laptop
Without a subsidy, unsubsidized ACA pricing can be rough. You start to wonder if there's a better option nobody's shown you.
Pick something anyway
The deductible was the real cost
You finally choose a plan, then find out the deductible is so high you're basically paying twice, once monthly, again the day you actually need care.