What term describes the periodic amount paid to maintain a health care policy?

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

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is the regular payment you make just to keep your health coverage active. That ongoing payment is the premium, which you typically pay monthly, quarterly, or annually to the insurer regardless of whether you use any medical services. It’s different from what you pay when you actually receive care: a deductible is the amount you must pay out of pocket before the plan starts paying, a copayment is a fixed fee for a specific service at the time of care, and coinsurance is the percentage of costs you pay after meeting the deductible. The premium is about maintaining the policy itself, not about the cost of individual visits or services.