The amount you pay for covered healthcare services before your insurance plan starts to pay. With a $2,000 deductible, for example, you pay the first $2,000 of covered services yourself. After you pay your deductible, you usually pay only a copayment or coinsurance for covered services. Your insurance company pays the rest.
A fixed amount ($20, for example) you pay for a covered healthcare service after you’ve paid your deductible. Let’s say your health insurance plan’s allowable cost for a doctor’s office visit is $100, and your copayment for a doctor visit is $20.
• If you’ve paid your deductible: You pay $20, usually at the time of the visit.
• If you haven’t met your deductible: You pay $100, the full allowable amount for the visit.
Can vary for different services within the same plan, like drugs, lab tests, and visits to specialists.
The percentage of costs of a covered health care service you pay (20%, for example) after you’ve paid your deductible. Let’s say your health insurance plan’s allowed amount for an office visit is $100 and your coinsurance is 20%.
• If you’ve paid your deductible: You pay 20% of $100, or $20. The insurance company pays the rest.
• If you haven’t met your deductible: You pay the full allowed amount, $100.
The most you have to pay for covered services in a plan year. After you spend this amount on deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance, your health plan pays 100% of the costs of covered benefits. The out-of-pocket limit doesn’t include your monthly premiums. It also doesn’t include anything you spend for services your plan doesn’t cover.