Explain out-of-pocket costs. Do clients have to pay for medical services first to the out-of-pocket maximum of $6,350 for individuals before insurance kicks in?

Out-of-pocket costs are the consumers’ expenses for medical care that aren’t reimbursed by insurance. Out-of-pocket costs include deductibles, co-insurance and co-payments for covered services plus all costs for services that aren’t covered.

The out-of-pocket maximum is the most consumers pay during a policy period (usually one year) before their health insurance or plan starts to pay 100% for covered essential health benefits. This limit must include deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, or similar charges and any other expenditure required of an individual which is a qualified medical expense for the essential health benefits. This limit does not have to count premiums, balance billing amounts for non-network providers and other out-of-network cost-sharing, or spending for non-essential health benefits.