I am in the high deductible plan basic family. I pay $107 per paycheck for a family of 4 then I max out my HSA. In 2016 I had an almost total rebuild on my right shoulder. Bills showed over $70k but I payed max out of pocket of $6900 that year which also included several other family related issues. In 2017 I had a more monor repair on my left shoulder which bills showed worth about $57k. Again I paid max out of pocket at $6900 with a few other family issues thrown in.

My opinion is that the program is actually pretty decent. Its all about perspective however. I'm a senior Captain/SCA making...well I make a lot. Max out of pocket amounts to a spit in the bucket. For a new hire FO that same amount equals a huge percentage of take home pay. Its all relative and seems to mirror whats going on in this country in general. Good for the have's, not so great for the try to's and the have not's.