I think she's claiming that Siemens only offers an HDHP to Jerry for his family heath plan which seems dubious. Even if that were true, surely Jerry would seek out a HSA or something similar since Kelly has a chronic illness that will need meds each month and two young kids who will inevitably need a bunch of GP visits each year.
Her claim of a $17.5k deductible via the Healthcare marketplace and $15k through Jerry's work insurance is, in fact, bullshit, as "For 2021, the IRS defines a high deductible health plan as any plan with a deductible of at least $1,400 for an individual or $2,800 for a family. An HDHP's total yearly out-of-pocket expenses (including deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance) can't be more than $7,000 for an individual or $14,000 for a family." (
source)
Edit: it is possible her insulin is truly $4.3k for the first 3-month supply of the year. That's what it means to have a high deductible-you pay more out of pocket. It's a notorious issue with HDHPs and people with chronic illnesses. HDHPs are ideal for young, healthy, fit people who barely visit any medical facility and want to pay as little as possible for the healthcare that they're not using. If you get into a car accident or develop cancer, the HDHP will fuck you over. HDHPs are
NOT comprehensive health plans, and if your employer only offers HDHPs, get out of there as soon as possible.