Curative Introduces Zero First, Flipping the Traditional Health Insurance Deductible on Its Head

New health plan innovation puts coverage first, keeps everyday care at $0 and gives employers a more affordable way to provide meaningful health benefits

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Curative, a health insurance company redefining the way employers and their employees experience healthcare, today announced the launch of Zero First, an innovative new health plan offering that challenges one of the most familiar features of traditional health insurance: the deductible.

Rather than requiring members to pay out of pocket before their insurance begins covering care, Zero First flips the traditional model. The health plan pays first, covering eligible care in full up to a set amount. Members then pay a predictable percentage of additional covered expenses, with an annual out-of-pocket maximum that protects them from higher costs. Throughout the year, essential services, including preventive care, primary care, telehealth, urgent care, and outpatient behavioral health and substance use services remain $0 for members, even as the cost of these services counts toward their set amount.

The result is a fundamentally different approach to health insurance, designed to make everyday healthcare more accessible while giving employers greater flexibility to manage rising benefits costs.

"At Curative, we've never believed that the traditional health insurance model is the only way to do things," said Fred Turner, co-founder and CEO of Curative. "For too long, health insurance has asked people to pay more before they can access the care they need. We started Curative to challenge that thinking, and Zero First is another step forward. By flipping the deductible model, we're creating a smarter way to structure coverage, one that puts access to care first, protects members when healthcare needs become more significant, and gives employers a more affordable option without sacrificing the benefits that matter most."

Turning the Traditional Deductible Upside Down

Traditional deductible-based health plans often require members to shoulder significant upfront expenses before their coverage begins paying for many services. That financial responsibility can create barriers to care, particularly for individuals who may delay doctor visits or other important healthcare services because of cost.

Zero First takes the opposite approach.

Built around the idea that most people's healthcare needs in a given year are relatively routine, the new offering preserves $0 access to everyday services while introducing a different way to share costs when more extensive care is needed.

With Zero First, members benefit from:

• $0 routine care all year: Preventive care, primary care, telehealth, urgent care, and outpatient behavioral health and substance use services remain $0 for members throughout the year. The cost of these covered services counts toward the plan's set amount, but members never pay out of pocket for them.
• The plan pays first: Other covered in-network services, including specialist visits, diagnostic testing, imaging, emergency care and hospital stays, are covered in full up to a set amount.
• Predictable cost sharing: Once that amount is reached, members pay a defined percentage of additional covered in-network expenses rather than the full cost. Designated $0 routine services continue to be covered at $0 regardless of whether the set amount has been reached.
• Protection from higher expenses: An annual out-of-pocket maximum limits members' financial responsibility for covered in-network care, including applicable pharmacy copays.

For example, under the standard Zero First EPO design, the plan covers the first $2,500 of eligible in-network care per individual. Members then pay 30% of additional covered expenses, up to an $8,000 individual out-of-pocket maximum. A Zero First PPO option provides a $5,000 initial coverage amount, 25% subsequent cost sharing and a $6,350 individual out-of-pocket maximum.

Importantly, the cost of covered routine services contributes toward these initial coverage amounts, while those services remain $0 for members throughout the plan year, subject to plan requirements.

A Smarter Approach to Affordability

Zero First arrives as employers face continued pressure to balance the rising cost of healthcare benefits with employees' expectations for comprehensive, accessible coverage.

Developed in response to feedback from brokers and employers seeking more competitively priced health plan options, Zero First offers a new way to address that challenge without abandoning Curative's commitment to removing financial barriers to care.

The design is grounded in a simple principle: health insurance should work for the healthcare needs people experience most often while providing meaningful financial protection when those needs become more significant.

Curative's modeling illustrates the potential impact. Based on its 2025 full-year membership data, approximately 69% of members under the Zero First EPO design and 78% under the Zero First PPO design would have paid $0 for in-network medical care over the course of a year. By comparison, Curative estimates that approximately 24% would have paid $0 under a typical $3,000-deductible plan.*

"Healthcare innovation shouldn't be limited to new technologies or treatments. It should also change the way people access and pay for care," added Turner. "Zero First reflects our belief that we can design health insurance around how people actually use healthcare, rather than asking everyone to navigate the same traditional cost barriers. It's about creating more choice, more flexibility and a better experience for employers and members alike."

The Curative Experience, With More Choice

While Zero First introduces a new approach to cost sharing, it preserves the core features that distinguish Curative's health plans.

Members continue to have access to Curative's provider networks, personalized Care Navigators, 24/7 telehealth services, the Curative Cash Card and an established pharmacy benefit structure that includes $0 preferred medications. Curative reports that 97% of prescription fills carry a $0 member cost.

Members also retain access to Curative's Baseline Visit, which helps establish a foundation for proactive, personalized care. As with Curative's existing plans, adult members and dependents age 18 and older must complete the Baseline Visit within 120 days of the plan's effective date to maintain the applicable Zero First cost-sharing design.

Zero First joins Curative's existing health plan offerings, now known as Zero Always, which continue to provide $0 cost sharing for covered in-network medical care when plan requirements are met.

Together, Zero First and Zero Always expand Curative's portfolio, giving employers additional flexibility to select benefits that align with their workforce needs and financial priorities.

Continuing to Challenge the Status Quo

The introduction of Zero First represents the next evolution of Curative's mission to make healthcare more accessible, affordable and easier to navigate.

By rethinking the traditional deductible, Curative is demonstrating that innovation in health insurance can extend beyond simply adjusting premiums, copays or provider networks. It can begin with redesigning how coverage works for the people who rely on it.

Zero First is available to eligible level-funded employer groups with effective dates beginning December 1, 2026. Employers and brokers can explore Zero First EPO and PPO options, with plan designs tailored to individual group needs.

For more information about Zero First, visit https://curative.com/zero-first.

About Curative

Curative is a health insurance company committed to transforming healthcare by removing financial barriers, improving access to high-quality care, and making health coverage simpler and more affordable for employers and members. Its innovative health plan offers $0 out-of-pocket costs for covered services, subject to plan requirements, and emphasizes preventive care and a more accessible healthcare experience.

Modeling based on Curative's 2025 full-year individual members and in-network medical care. Zero First EPO and PPO percentages represent modeled outcomes, not guarantees. Curative's 2026 tracking is approximately 63–66% for EPO and 73–75% for PPO. The comparison with a traditional $3,000-deductible plan is a Curative estimate. Plan designs and benefits may vary by employer group. Plan documents govern.

SOURCE Curative Services LLC