Deductible

A deductible is the amount that a health insurance plan enrollee must pay before the plan starts to pay for most covered items and services. The deductible is set on a yearly basis. For example, if a plan has a $1,000 deductible, an enrollee will generally must pay the full charge (or total cost) for most medical services until she has spent $1,000. Once the deductible has been met, if the enrollee receives additional medical care during the same year, she would not must pay the full charge for those additional items and services. The health insurance plan would pay a portion, and the enrollee would pay a portion based on the copayments and coinsurance that apply to the service. Many plans pay for certain services, like a checkup or disease management programs, before you've met your deductible. Check your plan details. All ACA Marketplace health plans pay the full cost of certain preventive benefits even before you meet your deductible. Some plans have separate deductibles for certain services, like prescription drugs. Family plans often have both an individual deductible, which applies to each person, and a family deductible, which applies to all family members. Generally, plans with lower monthly premiums have higher deductibles. Plans with higher monthly premiums usually have lower deductibles.