In terms of premiums, HDHPs are usually among the lower-cost plans available in a given area, but they're typically not the least expensive plans. That's because the rules that govern maximum out-of-pocket costs for HDHPs are different from the rules that govern maximum out-of-pocket costs for all ACA-compliant plans. In 2014, the two were equal: the maximum allowable out-of-pocket for HDHPs was $6,350 for an individual and $12,700 for a family, and those were the same limits that applied to all ACA-compliant plans. So in that year, HDHPs were among the least expensive plans available. But as time went on, the limits that apply to all ACA-compliant plans climbed faster than the limits that apply to HDHPs. For 2023, HDHPs can have a maximum out-of-pocket of $7,500 for an individual and $15,000 for a family. But the 2023 upper limit for out-of-pocket costs on non-HDHPs is $9,100 for an individual, and $18,200 for a family. So there are non-HDHP plans available that have higher out-of-pocket exposure (and thus lower premiums) than HDHPs.