MEDICAL EXPENSES: Out of Pocket and Out of Network Fees

By A.I. and Staff Reporters

SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

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OUT OF POCKET [OOP] EXPENSES

Classic: The portion of medical expenses a patient is responsible for paying.

Modern: Refers to the maximum you will pay during your policy period, which is typically a year, before your plan starts to pay 100% of your allowed amount. The costs of your deductible, co-pay, and co-insurance are included here, but not your premium.

CO-PAYS: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2025/05/17/cleveland-clinic-controversial-new-health-insurance-co-payment-policy/

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OUT OF NETWORK [OON] EXPENSES

Classic: “Out-of-network” health care providers do not have an agreement with your insurance company to provide care. While insurance companies may have some out-of-network benefits, medical care from an out-of-network provider will usually cost more out-of-pocket than an in-network provider. 

Modern: The amount that a health care insurance plan will contribute toward out-of-network services will vary by your insurance company and is often based on a “reasonable and customary” amount that the service should cost

Example: If you go to an out-of-network dentist and are billed $300 for the service, your insurance company may contribute $200 toward paying this cost because $200 is the amount it has decided is “reasonable and customary” for this service. When out-of-network, any remaining cost above this amount ($100 in this case) may have to be fully covered by the person receiving care. When out-of-network, the usual coinsurance rates that apply in-network may not apply out-of-network. Additionally, out-of-network service costs may not count toward an annual deductible.

CHARGE-MASTER: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2024/11/20/charge-master-medical-bills-paradox/

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CLEVELAND CLINIC: Controversial New Health Insurance Co-Payment Policy

By Staff Reporters

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Health Insurance Co-Payments Upfront or Lose Your Appointment

Definition: A co-payment is a fixed amount you pay each time you get a particular type of healthcare service, and co-pays will generally be quite a bit smaller than deductibles. However, deductibles and co–pays are both fixed amounts, as opposed to coinsurance, which is a percentage of the claim.

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On some health plans, certain services are covered with a co-pay before you’ve met the deductible, while other health insurance plans have co-pays only after you’ve met your deductible. And, the pre-deductible versus post-deductible co-pay rules often vary based on the type of medical service you’re receiving.

PRE-PAID PLANS: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2025/04/17/health-insurance-pre-paid-plans/

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Starting in June 2025, Cleveland Clinic patients who can’t pay their co-pay on the spot will have non-emergency appointments rescheduled or cancelled. This new policy could make it harder for low-income people who prefer to be billed to see a clinic doctor, and create delays that could lead to medical emergencies down the road.

For example, a delay in care can mean six to eight more weeks of a tumor growing or a blood clot developing or an infection brewing.

Source: Julie Washington, cleveland.com [5/13/25]

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PODCAST: Health Insurance Plans Confusing and Largely Misunderstood

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By Eric Bricker MD

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According to One Survey, only 4% of People Understand the Basic Insurance Terms of Deductible, Co-Insurance, Copay and Out-of-Pocket Maximum.

In Another Survey by United Healthcare Itself, Only 9% Understood the Terms Premium, Deductible, Co-Insurance and Out-of-Pocket Max.

This Lack of Understanding is Not the Fault of the Employee Benefits Professionals or the Employees… Rather, the Health Insurance Plan Designs Are Just Too Complicated.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/082610254

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PODCAST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp6TI7iu-m0

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