US Health Insurance Basics

With US health insurance, understanding the terms is half the battle. Once you know the key terms, comparing plans becomes easy.

Terms you must know

• Premium: your monthly insurance cost
• Deductible: what you pay out of pocket before insurance starts sharing costs
• Copay / coinsurance: your share at the time of care
• Network: the contracted hospitals and doctors

Review options like employer insurance, the marketplace (ACA), and Medicaid based on your income and family situation. Out-of-network care can cost much more, so confirming in advance is important.