Titanium, Sterling, and Cobalt: What do Premera plan families mean?

Titanium, Sterling, and Cobalt are three Premera plan families available through Business Health Trust. The main differences are the deductibles, what employees pay when they see a doctor or specialist, and how services such as lab tests, imaging, and rehabilitation are covered.

Titanium focuses on low deductibles, Sterling offers a wider range of deductible choices, and Cobalt generally places more of the cost of specialist care and diagnostic services on employees. Two plans with the same deductible can leave employees paying quite different amounts for care.

The three families at a glance

These deductible choices are from BHT’s January 2027 Heritage-network offering.

What does that mean for everyday care?

Sterling 1000 and Cobalt 1000 both have a $1,000 individual deductible and a $35 primary-care copay, but a specialist visit costs $35 on Sterling and $65 on Cobalt, which means someone with regular specialist appointments would pay $30 more each time on Cobalt. Over six visits, that’s $180 more in office copays.

Compare that difference with the employee’s payroll contribution. A lower monthly premium may offset higher office copays for someone who rarely needs care, while an employee seeing specialists regularly could use up those savings over the year.

Look at what happens when the doctor orders a test

Getting tests after a doctor’s appointment is another area where costs can differ. On Cobalt 1000, a primary-care visit costs $35, but any diagnostic lab work or imaging is subject to the deductible. So if someone hasn’t met their deductible and their doctor orders a covered blood test with a negotiated price of $200, they’d pay the $200 for the test on top of their $35 visit copay.

On Sterling 1000, the deductible is waived for covered diagnostic labs and imaging, and employees pay 20% coinsurance instead. That same $200 test would cost just $40, even if they haven’t met their deductible. Hospital or facility charges may be billed separately and have different cost-sharing rules.

What about limits on visits and services?

For someone going to physical therapy after an injury, the cost of repeated appointments can add up quickly. Both Cobalt 1000 and Sterling 1000 cover up to 45 standard outpatient rehabilitation visits per year, including physical and occupational therapy. But Cobalt charges $65 per visit compared with $35 on Sterling, which means ten appointments would cost $650 versus $350 in copays alone. Certain types of rehabilitation for chronic conditions have unlimited visits under both plans.

Similar differences show up with more extensive care. For example, someone recovering from a serious illness or surgery may need time in a skilled nursing facility. Both plans cover up to 90 days per year, but after meeting the deductible, an employee pays 30% of the covered costs on Cobalt versus 20% on Sterling. For an extended stay, that difference could be substantial.

Other benefits have their own limits, such as acupuncture, which is covered for up to 12 visits annually on either plan. Both also exclude infertility treatment and long-term care. Employees expecting ongoing treatment or specialized care should review those needs with their broker before choosing a plan.

Sources: Sterling 1000 benefit highlights, Cobalt 1000 benefit highlights, and BHT’s 2027 plan documents.

For families, look at the household’s costs

A family with regular appointments may value lower copays, while a household facing surgery or ongoing treatment may benefit more from a lower family out-of-pocket limit. Compare those amounts with the payroll contribution and the way each plan’s individual and family deductibles work together.

How the names fit together on a quote

In a name such as Premera Prime Sterling 1000, Premera is the carrier. The other parts describe different pieces of the plan:

Network: Prime refers to the Heritage Prime provider network, which determines which doctors and hospitals participate at in-network rates. Sterling refers to the benefit family, and 1000 identifies the individual deductible.

Metal levels: Titanium, Sterling, and Cobalt are plan-family labels, while Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum describe how health plans share covered costs across a standard population. A family’s name doesn’t establish an ACA metal level.

Plan type: PPO describes a plan structure that includes in-network and out-of-network benefits, typically with higher costs outside the network.

HSA eligibility: BHT also offers Premera HSA-qualified plans. For example, HSA 1800 applies the deductible to regular doctor visits, followed by 20% coinsurance. Its family coverage has an aggregate deductible, meaning the household meets the family deductible before those benefits begin.

Choose the tradeoffs that fit your employees

Start with two or three options on the same network, then compare the premium with the kinds of care employees expect to use. Regular specialist visits, diagnostic tests, and ongoing therapy are useful examples to bring into the discussion.

Your broker and BHT can help put those choices side by side using the plan highlights and Summary of Benefits and Coverage in the BHT Producer Hub. Include Nice Healthcare in the conversation, too, so employees know how to access the care included with their BHT coverage.