The insurance company would then pay the provider or reimburse the patient. Typically, the patient paid a portion of the costs through coinsurance. But today, more than half of all Americans who have insurance are enrolled in some kind of managed care plan, a more structured way of both providing health services and paying for them. The initial impetus for managed care was a desire to contain costs. Increases in health-care costs had far outpaced increases in inflation throughout the '80s and into the '90s.
Today there is a full range of health insurance choices.
The graphic below illustrates the four main types of plans. You've probably heard these terms before. This information should help. Click on the buttons on the side to learn more about the different types of health insurance plans.