To test whether such associations might influence people’s perceptions of insurance plans, the researchers interviewed people in buses and asked them which category of plans they would look at first if they were shopping for health insurance. To half the people gold plans were described as having higher monthly premiums and lower out-of-pocket costs For the other half the gold and bronze plans were switched, describing the gold plans as having lower monthly premiums and higher out-of-pocket costs. It shouldn’t matter whether plans are called bronze or gold. Instead, the plans’ attributes —high or low monthly premiums and high or low out-of-pocket costs — should determine people’s choices.