Cost contract

Arrangement between a managed care plan and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), under which the health plan provides health services and is reimbursed its costs. The beneficiary can use providers outside the plan’s provider network.

Cost effectiveness

Efficiency and competence of an insurance plan or program in achieving given intervention outcomes in relation to the program or plan costs. For example, the production of services with the least possible cost or treatment of a medical condition with the least expensive level of care that obtains the desired health outcome of the patient. Also called cost efficiency.

Cost index

Method used to compare the costs of similar plans of life insurance. Policies with smaller index numbers are usually a better buy than comparable policies with larger index numbers.

Cost of Living Adjustment Rider (COLA)

With this rider, the initial benefit doesn’t change as it does with the automatic increase rider, but the benefit increases after disability. The purpose of this rider is to keep the insured’s purchasing power even with inflation. For example, with a 3% COLA rider and an initial benefit is $5,000 per month, in year 2 the benefit would increase to $5,150 per month or by the amount of inflation if less than 3%.