What is a deductible?

A deductible is the amount you pay for covered health care services before your insurance plan starts to pay. With a $1,000 deductible, for example, you pay the first $1,000 of covered services yourself.  Physician visits are paid with a copay before first satisfying the deductible.

After you pay your deductible, you usually pay only a copayment and/or coinsurance for covered services. Your insurance company pays the rest.

• Many plans pay for certain services, like a checkup or disease management programs, before you’ve met your deductible. Check your plan details.
• One of the two medical plans (Plan 1/Standard) offered through SJCSD has a separate deductible for prescription drugs.
• Family plans often have both an individual deductible, which applies to each person, and a family deductible, which applies to all family members.  SJCSD family deductible is capped at three family members satisfying their individual portions.

Generally, plans with lower monthly premiums have higher deductibles. Plans with higher monthly premiums usually have lower deductibles.