The monthly fee you pay to keep your health insurance policy active.

The date your insurance coverage commences. In most cases, this will always be the first of a future month, although a newborn baby or newly adopted child can have coverage retroactive to the date of birth or adoption.

A cap on the total lifetime benefits you may get from your insurance company.

A type of health insurance plan that allows you to choose any doctor or hospital, but you may pay more for out-of-network care.

A recommendation from your doctor to see another doctor or specialist.

A type of health insurance plan that combines features of HMO and PPO plans.

A fixed fee you pay for each doctor's visit or prescription.

The amount of money you must pay out of pocket before your insurance starts to cover the costs of your care.

A percentage of the cost of your care that you pay after you have met your deductible.

A doctor or hospital that has contracted with your insurance company to provide care at a discounted rate.

A doctor or hospital that has not contracted with your insurance company and may charge you more for care.

A process that insurance companies use to determine whether a patient is eligible to receive certain procedures, medications, or tests, except in an emergency.

The process of determining which of your insurance plans will pay for your care when you have multiple insurance policies.