Deductible

The amount you pay for covered health care services before your insurance plan starts to pay. With a $2,000 deductible, for example, you pay the first $2,000 of covered services yourself.

After you pay your deductible, you usually pay only a copayment or coinsurance for covered services. Your insurance company pays the rest.

• Many plans pay for certain services, like a checkup or disease management programs, before you've met your deductible. Check your plan details.
• All 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.

Related content

• Learn how deductibles and out-of-pocket costs affect your total costs of care
• How to pick a health plan that works for you