Health insurance in the U.S. is notoriously confusing. So we’re covering the basics to make navigating your plan a little easier. We explain the difference between a deductible and an out-of-pocket limit, define copay and coinsurance, and point out where surprise bills can get you in trouble, from out-of-network providers to prior authorizations. Read more coverage from our “Bill of the Month,” “Health Care Helpline,” and “Priced Out” series: “How To Make a High-Deductible Health Plan Work for You,” by Jackie Fortiér. “To Avoid Care Disruptions, Know When the Clock Runs Out on Your Prior Authorization,” by Sarah Boden. “So Your Insurance Dropped Your Doctor. Now What?” by Bram Sable-Smith. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.This <a target="_blank" href="https://kffhealthnews.org/insurance/watch-8-health-insurance-terms-you-should-know/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://kffhealthnews.org">KFF Health News</a> and is republished here under a <a target="_blank" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<img src="https://kffhealthnews.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/04/kffhealthnews-icon.png?w=150" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;"> <img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://kffhealthnews.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=2232979&ga4=G-J74WWTKFM0" style="width:1px;height:1px;">
