The deductible represents a dollar amount that a patient has to pay out-of-pocket first before their insurance company will start paying for any care. For example, if you have a Johns Hopkins EHP plan with a $250 annual deductible you will have to pay for the first $250 worth of healthcare each year before Johns Hopkins EHP will begin paying for your healthcare bills. Once the deductible bas been met, i.e. you have paid $250 out-of-pocket for healthcare, Johns Hopkins EHP will begin paying for the majority of each visit's cost but a portion will still have to be paid by the patient. This portion is called a co-insurance or a co-pay. They sound similar but are actually quite different.

This type of visit fee is often seen with Johns Hopkins EHP plans. Unlike the flat fee co-pay, a co-insurance is a percentage of the fees paid by EHP. In the case of most EHP plans, the co-insurance is 20% which means EHP will cover 80% of the fees for each visit but the remaining balance must be paid by the patient. For example, a visit to your chiropractor's office for low back pain may cost $100 so EHP will pay $80 and the patient will be left with the balance of $20. If the next visit involves more therapy to multiple areas (neck, low back, and shoulder), that visit might cost $150. EHP will pay $120 and the patient will be left with the balance of $30.

This type of visit fee is more common and is often seen with Carefirst BCBS plans. A co-pay is a flat fee which is paid at each visit (often between $10 and $50) and is not tied to the type of services or treatment received in the office.

Don't forget, if you want to know the specific coverage details for your Johns Hopkins EHP insurance, feel free to email us and we'll let you know what we need to get that information for you.