The portion of healthcare costs that the patient is responsible for paying is known as:

• A. Cost sharing
• B. Medicare Part B premium
• C. Copayment
• D. Coinsurance

Answer: (A)

This question tests understanding of the patient’s share of healthcare costs. The portion a patient pays out of pocket after insurance has paid is called cost sharing. It includes copayments (a fixed amount for a service), coinsurance (a percentage of the allowed amount), and deductibles (amount the patient must pay before coverage kicks in). The Medicare Part B premium is a monthly payment to maintain coverage, not the per-service cost patient responsibility, so it isn’t the term described. Since cost sharing is the umbrella term that covers the patient’s responsibility across services, it is the best answer.