Insurance terms starting wth "D" | Wise Health Choices Insurance Glossary

Durable Medical Equipment (DME)

Medical equipment that is prescribed by a doctor and used at home, such as wheelchairs, oxygen tanks, and diabetic supplies. Insurance plans usually cover DME, but you may need to rent or buy it from a plan-approved supplier and may have to pay a copay or coinsurance.

Domestic Partnership

A legal relationship between two unmarried partners. Many health insurance plans now offer domestic partnership benefits, allowing coverage for unmarried couples similar to what spouses receive. You typically need to register your domestic partnership with the plan or state to receive this coverage.

Dependent Coverage

Insurance coverage that includes family members on your health insurance plan. Dependent coverage typically costs more than individual-only coverage but provides protection for multiple family members. Most plans allow coverage of children up to age 26, and sometimes spouses and partners.

Dependent

A family member who is covered under your health insurance plan. Dependents usually include spouses, children (up to age 26), and sometimes parents or other relatives. You may pay more for coverage that includes dependents than for individual-only coverage.

Dental Coverage

Insurance coverage for dental health care services like cleanings, fillings, extractions, and root canals. Dental coverage may be included as part of your health insurance plan or purchased separately as a standalone dental plan. It typically requires copays or coinsurance for specific services.

Deductible

The amount you pay out of your own pocket for covered health care services before your insurance plan starts sharing costs.

For example, if you have a $1,500 deductible, you pay the first $1,500 of covered care yourself. Once you meet your deductible, your plan begins paying its share. That's where copays come in. A copay is a fixed amount you pay for a covered service (like $30 for a doctor visit), even after your deductible is met.

No matter how much care you need in a year, your spending has a ceiling. That's your out-of-pocket maximum, the most you'll ever pay in a plan year. Once you hit that limit, your insurance covers 100% of covered costs for the rest of the year.

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How your deductible works with your copay and out-of-pocket maximum:

A step-by-step walkthrough showing how the deductible, copay, and out-of-pocket maximum interact during a plan year on an ACA Marketplace Silver plan.
Stage	What Happens	Who Pays	Your Running Total
Before Deductible	You get care before hitting your deductible (e.g., an urgent care visit billed at $400).	You pay the full $400.	$400 toward your $1,500 deductible
Deductible Met	Another $1,100 in covered services. You've now hit your $1,500 deductible.	You pay $1,100. Deductible is now met.	$1,500 — deductible met ✓
Copay Kicks In	You see your primary care doctor. The visit is billed at $200, but your copay is $30.	You pay $30. Plan pays the remaining $170.	$1,530 toward your $4,500 out-of-pocket max
Out-of-Pocket Max Reached	A hospital stay. Your share after insurance is $2,970 in coinsurance.	You pay $2,970. Out-of-pocket max is now hit.	$4,500 — out-of-pocket max reached ✓
Fully Protected	Any additional covered care for the rest of the plan year.	Your plan pays 100%. You pay $0.	$4,500 — you're fully protected for the year

Example uses a hypothetical ACA Silver plan with a $1,500 deductible, $30 primary care copay, and $4,500 out-of-pocket maximum. Actual costs vary by plan. For 2026, the federal out-of-pocket maximum is $10,600 for individuals and $21,200 for families.

Key insurance terms that start with "D"