What is catastrophic insurance?

A. These plans have a high deductible a patient must meet before coverage begins. For example, for a low monthly premium, a person pays 100% of the cost of any care they receive until they reach a $4,000 deductible. At this point, the insurance policy begins to pay.

B. These plans require you to pay only for any emergency care you might need. All other care, such as check-ups and preventative care visits, is covered. However, because emergency care is expensive, these plans are extremely expensive as well.

C. These plans only require that you pay a copay at the time of care, and nothing more. For example, your office visits would require a $30 copay, while emergency room visits would require a $150 copay. After the copay, the costs of care are covered.

D. These plans pay a percentage of the total cost of care. For example, in a plan like this, insurance could cover 80% of your medical costs, while you are responsible for the remaining 20%. The higher the percentage covered, the higher the monthly premium.