Health insurance companies charge their customers a monthly premium for coverage, and in exchange the company agrees to pay all or most of the person’s medical costs. Even under the most generous plans, insured people must pay various out-of-pocket expenses for medical care. Primarily these expenses include copays and deductibles, which are up-front costs paid by the insured to medical professionals before they receive services. Health insurance plans fall into two broad categories: private insurance and public insurance. Private plans are available from health insurance companies and are most commonly obtained through employers.