Searching for a new health insurance plan can be challenging because there are many choices. What you probably want to know first is how much everything is going to cost.
With insurance options that require deductibles, copays and coinsurance, it may seem confusing.
Here’s what you need to know about different types of out-of-pocket expenses for various health care plans.
Monthly Premiums
When searching for health insurance online, there are both government and private websites to explore.
Some options may provide you with a tax-saving benefit to lower your monthly cost, while others offer you the chance to purchase a plan directly from the supplier.
Whichever option you choose, nearly all websites show you your total monthly payment. This amount covers the cost of buying the insurance plan.
Deductibles
Many insurance policies have a deductible, a specific amount of money you’re required to pay before the insurance company pays its part of the bill.
This amount is often a few thousand dollars and could be more if you have a family plan.
Some insurance policies require you to pay the entire deductible before anything gets paid out by them, while other options cover a portion of wellness visits or primary care appointments.
Once you have paid this amount within a calendar year, the insurance then pays their share of the bill, and you only need to pay your copay or coinsurance.
Coinsurance
When your portion of a bill gets calculated as a percentage rate, that is considered coinsurance.
You and the insurance company split the bill, usually with you being responsible for 20 – 50% of the cost.
When reviewing the differences in insurance plans, take note of the changes in coinsurance rates. Some doctors and specialists require you to pay different amounts.
For example, a visit to a primary care doctor may cost you 20% of the total bill after paying your deductible, while a visit to the ER may require you to pay 40%.
In-network and out-of-network doctors might also be covered at different rates by your insurance company.
Copay
A copay is another way of calculating what portion of the bill is your responsibility. The difference is that a copay is a flat-rate fee and not a percentage.
For example, you may have a copay of $20 to see your primary care doctor, while an urgent care visit can cost $75. The advantage is that many of these flat rates are much lower than 20-30% of the bill, so you may save more money than coinsurance plans.
Another advantage is that a doctor’s visit is a single rate regardless of how much time you spend with them.
Since physicians can choose how detailed the appointment was when sending a bill to insurance and charge accordingly, the amount you pay with a coinsurance plan can vary between visits, while the flat rate stays the same.
Choosing a new insurance plan doesn’t have to be confusing. Understanding how much you pay each year helps you select the plan that fits your budget.
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