The out-of-pocket maximum is the most you have to pay for covered medical services in a year. Generally, it includes any applicable deductible, copayments, and/or coinsurance.
It Depends on Your Medical Coverage Level
Bronze, Gold, and Platinum have a traditional out-of-pocket-maximum. Once a covered family member meets the individual out-of-pocket maximum, your insurance will pay the full cost of covered charges for that family member.
Charges for all covered family members will continue to count toward the family out-of-pocket maximum. Once the family out-of-pocket maximum is met, your insurance will pay the full cost of covered charges for all covered family members.
It doesn't include amounts taken out of your paycheck for health coverage. Also, if you choose coverage under Kaiser Permanente, copays for certain medical benefits may not apply towards the annual out-of-pocket maximum under the Gold and Platinum options.
Bronze Plus and Silver have a "true family out-of-pocket-maximum". This means that the entire family out-of-pocket maximum must be met before your insurance will pay the full cost of covered charges for any covered family member.
There is no "individual out-of-pocket maximum" in the Bronze Plus and Silver coverage levels when you have family coverage.
The annual out-of-pocket maximum doesn't include amounts taken out of your paycheck for health coverage.
Do You Use Out-of-Network Providers?
Out-of-network charges will not count toward your in-network deductible or out-of-pocket maximum. The same goes for in-network charges—they will not count toward your out-of-network deductible or out-of-pocket maximum.
Some insurance carriers in CA, CO, DC, GA, MD, OR, VA, and WA do not cover out-of-network benefits at all.