@Martin ********
it's like a cover fee to get into a club/bar, a fee you must pay for any trip you get insured care, in the US. With some insurance that might be $5 - 10 each visit. With other insurance it might be 200 - $1,000. Most plans have capped deductibles, so you only pay them till you reach your cap, say 1,000 - $8,000. It's always a good idea to compare different company's rates each, and every, year as new insurers are getting into the system and might have better rates.