155mm,
In the example you gave, the Purple plan would have saved you money! Check this out:
$35k hospital bill - Buy up cost $150.
$35k hospital bill - Purple plan cost -
- $2600 deductible
- $1650 coinsurance (10% of $16500)
- $0 ($15900 paid for by the company since you hit your single person out of pocket max)
- for a total of $4250. You received $4600 from the company into your HSA, so you paid off that $4250 with that money, leaving you with $350 in your account.
Result?
Buy up plan - $4752 yearly premium plus $150 for a total of $4902.
Purple plan - $4272 yearly premium plus $0. ALSO - you still have $350 in your HSA.
The worst part about these CDHPs are how confusing they are.
USMCFDX, in both of your examples you would have saved money with the Purple plan as well. It actually takes a $19000 bill to hit your out of pocket max with the Purple plan and even if you do, you STILL pay less than you would with the buy up. The only way you lose money that I can tell is if you have multiple people have large bills in multiple consecutive years.
I didn't really understand it at all until I watched the video ALPA released.