Health insurance is a contract that requires an insurer to pay some or all of a person's healthcare costs in exchange for a premium. More specifically, health insurance typically pays for medical, surgical, prescription drug, and sometimes dental expenses incurred by the insured. Health insurance can reimburse the insured for expenses incurred from illness or injury, or pay the care provider directly. The cost of health insurance premiums is deductible to the payer, and the benefits received are tax-free.