Glossary of Health Coverage & Medical Terms
This glossary defines many commonly used terms, but isn’t a full list.
These glossary terms and definitions are intended to be educational and may be different from the terms and definitions in your plan or health insurance policy. Some of these terms also might not have exactly the same meaning when used in your policy or plan, and in any case, the policy or plan governs. (See your Summary of Benefits and Coverage for information on how to get a copy of your policy or plan document.)
Allowed Amount
This is the maximum payment the plan will pay for a covered health care service. May also be called “eligible expense,” “payment allowance,” or “negotiated rate.”
Balance Billing
When a provider bills you for the balance remaining on the bill that your plan doesn’t cover. This amount is the difference between the actual billed amount and the allowed amount. For example, if the provider’s charge is $200 and the allowed amount is $110, the provider may bill you for the remaining $90. This happens most often when you see an out-of-network provider (non-preferred provider). A network provider (preferred provider) may not balance bill you for covered services.
Copayment
A fixed amount (for example, $15) you pay for a covered health care service, usually when you receive the service (sometimes called “copay”). The amount can vary by the type of covered health care service.
Coinsurance
Your share of the costs of a covered health care service, calculated as a percentage (for
example, 20%) of the allowed amount for the service. You generally owe. (For example, if the health insurance or plan’s allowed amount for an office visit is $100 and you’ve met your deductible, your coinsurance payment of 20% would be $20. The health insurance or plan pays the rest of the allowed amount.)
Cost-sharing Reductions
Discounts that reduce the amount you pay for certain services covered by an individual plan you buy through the Marketplace. You may get a discount if your income is below a certain level, and you choose a Silver level health plan or if you're a member of a federally- recognized tribe, which includes being a shareholder in an Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act corporation.
Diagnostic Test
Tests to figure out what your health problem is. For example, an x-ray can be a diagnostic test to see if you have a broken bone.
Emergency Medical Condition
An illness, injury, symptom (including severe pain), or condition severe enough to risk serious danger to your health if you didn’t get medical attention right away. If you didn’t get immediate medical attention you could reasonably expect one of the following: 1) Your health would be put in serious danger; or 2) You would have serious problems with your bodily functions; or 3) You would have serious damage to any part or organ of your body.
Emergency Room Care / Emergency Services
Services to check for an emergency medical condition and treat you to keep an emergency medical condition from getting worse. These services may be provided in a licensed hospital’s emergency room or other place that provides care for emergency medical conditions.
Formulary
A list of drugs your plan covers. A formulary may include how much your share of the cost is for each drug. Your plan may put drugs in different cost-sharing levels or tiers. For example, a formulary may include generic drug and brand name drug tiers and different cost- sharing amounts will apply to each tier.
Habilitation Services
Health care services that help a person keep, learn or improve skills and functioning for daily living. Examples include therapy for a child who isn’t walking or talking at the expected age. These services may include physical and occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and other services for people with disabilities in a variety of inpatient and/or outpatient settings.
Home Health Care
Health care services and supplies you get in your home under your doctor’s orders. Services may be provided by nurses, therapists, social workers, or other licensed health care providers. Home health care usually doesn’t include help with non-medical tasks, such as cooking, cleaning, or driving.
Hospitalization
Care in a hospital that requires admission as an inpatient and usually requires an overnight stay. Some plans may consider an overnight stay for observation as outpatient care instead of inpatient care.
In-network Coinsurance
Your share (for example, 20%) of the allowed amount for covered health care services. Your share is usually lower for in-network covered services.
Marketplace
A marketplace for health insurance where individuals, families and small businesses can learn about their plan options; compare plans based on costs, benefits and other important features; apply for and receive financial help with premiums and cost sharing based on income; and choose a plan and enroll in coverage. Also known as an “Exchange.” The Marketplace is run by the state in some states and by the federal government in others. In some states, the Marketplace also helps eligible consumers enroll in other programs, including Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Available online, by phone, and in-person.
Medically Necessary
Health care services or supplies needed to prevent, diagnose, or treat an illness, injury, condition, disease, or its symptoms, including habilitation, and that meet accepted standards of medicine.
Minimum Value Standard
A basic standard to measure the percent of permitted costs the plan covers. If you’re offered an employer plan that pays for at least 60% of the total allowed costs of benefits, the plan offers minimum value and you may not qualify for premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions to buy a plan from the Marketplace.
Network Provider (Preferred Provider)
A provider who has a contract with your health insurer or plan who has agreed to provide services to members of a plan. You will pay less if you see a provider in the network. Also called “preferred provider” or “participating provider.”
Out-of-network Coinsurance
Your share (for example, 40%) of the allowed amount for covered health care services to providers who don’t contract with your health insurance or plan. Out-of- network coinsurance usually costs you more than in- network coinsurance.
Out-of-network Provider (Non-Preferred Provider)
A provider who doesn’t have a contract with your plan to provide services. If your plan covers out-of-network services, you’ll usually pay more to see an out-of-network provider than a preferred provider. Your policy will explain what those costs may be. May also be called “non-preferred” or “non-participating” instead of “out- of-network provider.”
Premium Tax Credits
Financial help that lowers your taxes to help you and your family pay for private health insurance. You can get this help if you get health insurance through the Marketplace and your income is below a certain level.
Advance payments of the tax credit can be used right away to lower your monthly premium costs.
Physician Services
Health care services a licensed medical physician, including an M.D. (Medical Doctor) or D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine), provides or coordinates.
Prescription Drugs
Drugs and medications that by law require a prescription.
Primary Care Physician
A physician, including an M.D. (Medical Doctor) or D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine), who provides or coordinates a range of health care services for you.
Preauthorization
A decision by your health insurer or plan that a health care service, treatment plan, prescription drug or durable medical equipment (DME) is medically necessary.
Sometimes called “prior authorization,” “prior approval,” or “precertification.” Your health insurance or plan may require preauthorization for certain services before you receive them, except in an emergency. Preauthorization isn’t a promise your health insurance or plan will cover the cost.
Provider
An individual or facility that provides health care services. Some examples of a provider include a doctor, nurse, chiropractor, physician assistant, hospital, surgical center, skilled nursing facility, and rehabilitation center. The plan may require the provider to be licensed, certified, or accredited as required by state law.
Referral
A written order from your primary care provider for you to see a specialist or get certain health care services. In many health maintenance organizations (HMOs), you need to get a referral before you can get health care services from anyone except your primary care provider. If you don’t get a referral first, the plan may not pay for the services.
Screening
A type of preventive care that includes tests or exams to detect the presence of something, usually performed when you have no symptoms, signs, or prevailing medical history of a disease or condition.
UCR (Usual, Customary and Reasonable)
The amount paid for a medical service in a geographic area based on what providers in the area usually charge for the same or similar medical service. The UCR amount sometimes is used to determine the allowed amount.
Screening
A type of preventive care that includes tests or exams to detect the presence of something, usually performed when you have no symptoms, signs, or prevailing medical history of a disease or condition.