Coinsurance: Instead of, or in ADDITION to, paying a fixed amount up front (a co-payment), the co-insurance is a percentage of the TOTAL cost that insured person may also PAY. For example, the member might have to pay 20% of the cost of a surgery over and above a co-payment, while the insurance COMPANY pays the other 80%. If there is an upper limit on coinsurance, the policy-holder could end up OWING very little, or a great deal, depending on the actual costs of the services they obtain.

Coinsurance: Instead of, or in addition to, paying a fixed amount up front (a co-payment), the co-insurance is a percentage of the total cost that insured person may also pay. For example, the member might have to pay 20% of the cost of a surgery over and above a co-payment, while the insurance company pays the other 80%. If there is an upper limit on coinsurance, the policy-holder could end up owing very little, or a great deal, depending on the actual costs of the services they obtain.