Yeah, I actually go with bronze, too. If you consider the difference in premiums over the course of a year, it's a huge savings if you just get an occasional check-up.

It's not like you get any less access to treatment... just that you have to cover more of it before insurance fully kicks in (you still get covid/flu vaccines & obv. preventative stuff free). We're still just talking single-digit or $10k-ish out-of-pocket, so keep some savings (HSA maybe) handy.

The folks suggesting a traditional IRA in addition to your 401k have a good point -- if you can save a bit more for retirement & deduct it from taxes, you can save even more on premiums. Though I think it "scales" rather than "cliffs". Good luck!