In health insurance, what describes the sharing of costs after the deductible is met, typically expressed as a percentage?

• A. Copayment
• B. Deductible
• C. Coinsurance
• D. Premium

Answer: (C)

After you’ve met your deductible, the remaining covered costs are shared between you and the insurance company according to a coinsurance percentage. That means you pay a portion of the costs and the insurer pays the rest. For example, with a 20% coinsurance, you would pay 20% of eligible charges after the deductible is met, and the insurer would cover the remaining 80%, up to any out-of-pocket maximum.

Copayment is a fixed amount you pay for a service (like a $25 visit fee) regardless of total costs, so it’s not a share of the overall bill. The deductible is the amount you must pay out of pocket before coverage starts sharing costs. The premium is the regular payment you make to maintain coverage, not the cost-sharing portion after deductible. Coinsurance describes the cost-sharing arrangement that kicks in after the deductible is satisfied.