Final answer:
Orthodontic cost-share (CONUS) refers to the portion of orthodontic treatment expenses that the insured individual must pay out of pocket. It includes the deductible, co-insurance, and co-payment.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of health insurance, orthodontic cost-share refers to the portion of orthodontic treatment expenses that the insured individual must pay out of pocket. It includes the deductible, co-insurance, and co-payment.
The deductible is the fixed amount that the insurance does not cover. For example, if your deductible is $1,000, you would have to pay the first $1,000 of your orthodontic expenses before the insurance starts covering.
Co-insurance is the percentage of costs that the insured individual must pay. If the co-insurance rate is 20%, you would pay 20% of the orthodontic treatment costs, and the insurance would cover the remaining 80%.
Co-payment is a fixed amount that individuals must pay for specific services. For example, you might have a co-payment of $20 for an office visit or $250 for an emergency room visit.