Learn personal and professional finance terms to keep you in the know

Coinsurance is the percentage of health care costs you're responsible for after you've met your annual deductible. For example, with an 80/20 plan, your insurer pays 80% of eligible costs and you pay the remaining 20%, until you hit your out-of-pocket maximum. After that point, your insurer covers 100% for the rest of the plan year. Coinsurance is commonly applied to more significant services like surgeries, specialist care, and hospital stays. Unlike a copay, which is a flat fee per visit, coinsurance is a percentage of the total bill, so your share of costs can vary significantly depending on the service.



