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17 Dec 2010, 08:33
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85% (hard)

Question Stats:

58% (02:36) correct 42% (02:53) wrong based on 802 sessions

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Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay $1000 or 50% of total cost, whichever is lower. Plan B requires the insured to pay the initial$300, but then pays 80% of the cost over $300. Which of the following is a cost level for which both insurance plans pay out the same amount? A.$600
B. $1000 C.$3800
D. $5300 E.$6200
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17 Dec 2010, 09:04
12
12
anilnandyala wrote:
Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay $1000 or 50% of total cost, whichever is lower. Plan B requires the insured to pay the initial$300, but then pays 80% of the cost over $300. Which of the following is a cost level for which both insurance plans pay out the same amount?$600
$1000$3800
$5300$6200

Pay out for plan A: Cost-$1,000 or Cost-0.5*Cost=0.5*Cost, when 0.5*Cost<$1,000;
Pay out for plan B: 0.8(Cost-$300); The question is: for which of the following costs the pay outs are the same. C-1,000=0.8(C-300) --> for C=3,800 and 0.5C=0.8(C-300) --> for C=800. As we have only$3,800 listed then it must be a correct answer.

Or you can use backsolving for this question:
A. C=$600: pay out for plan A will be 0.5*600=300 (as 0.5*600<1,000) and pay out for plan B will be 0.8*(600-300)=240; B. C=$1000: pay out for plan A will be 0.5*1,00=500 (as 0.5*1,000<1,000) and pay out for plan B will be 0.8*(1,000-300)=560;

C. C=$3800: pay out for plan A will be 3,800-1,000=2,800 (as 0.5*3,800>1,000) and pay out for plan B will be 0.8*(3,800-300)=2,800 --> 2,800=2,800; D. C=$5300: pay out for plan A will be 5,300-1,000=4,300 (as 0.5*5,300>1,000) and pay out for plan B will be 0.8*(5,300-300)=4,000;

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22 May 2012, 20:37
5
1
kotela wrote:
Hi Bunnel.

According to me the 2 equations are:
0.8(C – 300) + 300= 1000 OR 0.8(C – 300) + 300= 0.5C

But i am confused with the question you formed the two equations

C-1,000=0.8(C-300)--->1^st and 0.5C=0.8(C-300)

Since the questions says if the cost is above 1000 he will pay which ever is lower, but according to your 1st equation he is paying more that 1000 i.e is 2800, please clarify if i am wrong, awaiting for your reply

You are reading the question wrong. It is asking when the insurance company will pay the same amount of money not the insured.

0.8(C–300) = C–1000
OR
0.8(C–300) = 0.5C

Solving the first equation gives us C=3800
Solving the second equation gives us C=800

Since 800 isn't one of the answers we can eliminate it and 3800 is the only possible answer.

##### General Discussion
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18 Jan 2011, 23:12
Well i think the Ans would be C because i use the same method as the other member showed you above and i don't think there is another way of finding that pay out plan...
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22 May 2012, 22:19
Cares wrote:
kotela wrote:
Hi Bunnel.

According to me the 2 equations are:
0.8(C – 300) + 300= 1000 OR 0.8(C – 300) + 300= 0.5C

But i am confused with the question you formed the two equations

C-1,000=0.8(C-300)--->1^st and 0.5C=0.8(C-300)

Since the questions says if the cost is above 1000 he will pay which ever is lower, but according to your 1st equation he is paying more that 1000 i.e is 2800, please clarify if i am wrong, awaiting for your reply

You are reading the question wrong. It is asking when the insurance company will pay the same amount of money not the insured.

0.8(C–300) = C–1000
OR
0.8(C–300) = 0.5C

Solving the first equation gives us C=3800
Solving the second equation gives us C=800

Since 800 isn't one of the answers we can eliminate it and 3800 is the only possible answer.

Ya you are i misread the question....thanks for that and +1 kudos for you
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10 Aug 2014, 19:08
Algebra is truly a loser in this question. Backsolving is the fastest and most effective method here.
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28 Oct 2015, 09:21
2
anilnandyala wrote:
Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay $1000 or 50% of total cost, whichever is lower. Plan B requires the insured to pay the initial$300, but then pays 80% of the cost over $300. Which of the following is a cost level for which both insurance plans pay out the same amount? A.$600
B. $1000 C.$3800
D. $5300 E.$6200

Case 1: What Insured pay is
1000 (as per plan A) = 300+(20/100)*(C-300)
Solving this equation, C = 3800

Case 2: What Insured pay is
(50/100)*C (as per plan A) = 300+(20/100)*(C-300)
Solving this equation, C = 800

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Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay $1000 or [#permalink] ### Show Tags 20 Nov 2015, 11:56 "Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay$1000 or 50% of total cost, whichever is lower." - this confused me much. if i quoted the fee in my job this way i would be fired =)

my clients would understand this without doubt: if the cost is 10 000 then the client has to pay only 1000 =))) yuuuupi
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30 Jul 2017, 07:49
anilnandyala wrote:
Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay $1000 or 50% of total cost, whichever is lower. Plan B requires the insured to pay the initial$300, but then pays 80% of the cost over $300. Which of the following is a cost level for which both insurance plans pay out the same amount? A.$600
B. $1000 C.$3800
D. $5300 E.$6200

Out of line .... this question is more of an SC question where you need to look at part "Plan B requires the insured to pay the initial $300, but then pays 80% of the cost over$300" where 'but then pays 80%' is mentioned for insurance company... otherwise this question would be some 600 level.
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Answer C: $3,800 Insurance pays (3800 - 300)(.8) = (3500)(.8) = 2800 Insured pays initial 300 + whatever the insurance does NOT pay (3500 - 2800 = 700). 300 + 700 = 1,000 This is a MATCH for what we're looking for, so this MUST be the answer. Final Answer: GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made, Rich _________________ 760+: Learn What GMAT Assassins Do to Score at the Highest Levels Contact Rich at: Rich.C@empowergmat.com *****Select EMPOWERgmat Courses now include ALL 6 Official GMAC CATs!***** # Rich Cohen Co-Founder & GMAT Assassin Special Offer: Save$75 + GMAT Club Tests Free
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Re: Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay $1000 or [#permalink] ### Show Tags 14 Mar 2018, 12:05 1 Top Contributor anilnandyala wrote: Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay$1000 or 50% of total cost, whichever is lower. Plan B requires the insured to pay the initial $300, but then pays 80% of the cost over$300. Which of the following is a cost level for which both insurance plans pay out the same amount?

A. $600 B.$1000
C. $3800 D.$5300
E. $6200 Here's an algebraic approach: Let T = TOTAL COST Plan A: Person pays EITHER$1000 OR 0.5T, whichever is LESS

Plan B: Person pays $300 plus 20% of anything over$300. In other words, the person pays $300 + 0.2(T - 300) Since Plan A has two different scenarios, we need to test both. That is, create equations that see both plans costing the insured the same amount. Case #1) 1000 = 300 + 0.2(T - 300).....now SOLVE Expand: 1000 = 300 + 0.2T - 60 Rearrange: 760 = 0.2T Solve: T = 3800 Perfect!! The correct answer is C Just for "fun" let's check out case #2 Case #2) 0.5T = 300 + 0.2(T - 300).....now SOLVE Expand: 0.5T = 300 + 0.2T - 60 Rearrange: 0.3T = 240 Solve: T = 800 Hmmm, it seems that if the TOTAL cost were$800, both plans would require the insured to pay the same amount ($400). That said,$800 is not one of the answer choices.
Also notice that the question says, "Which of the following is a cost level for which both insurance plans pay out the same amount?" So, there are two possible correct answers, and the question asks us to find one of them.

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Re: Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay $1000 or [#permalink] ### Show Tags 15 Mar 2018, 10:17 anilnandyala wrote: Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay$1000 or 50% of total cost, whichever is lower. Plan B requires the insured to pay the initial $300, but then pays 80% of the cost over$300. Which of the following is a cost level for which both insurance plans pay out the same amount?

A. $600 B.$1000
C. $3800 D.$5300
E. $6200 We can let x = a cost level for which both insurance plans pay out the same amount. Since 50% of$2000 is $1000, if x > 2000, Plan A will pay out x - 1000 and Plan B will pay out 0.8(x - 300). Setting them equal, we have: x - 1000 = 0.8(x - 300) x - 1000 = 0.8x - 240 0.2x = 760 x = 3,800 Now, if x < 2000, then Plan A will pay out 0.5x and Plan B will still pay out 0.8(x - 300). 0.5x = 0.8(x - 300) 0.5x = 0.8x - 240 240 = 0.3x 800 = x We see that x could be either 3,800 or 800. However, since the question asks for a cost level (instead of the cost level) and only 3,800 is given, then 3,800 is the correct answer. Answer: C _________________ # Scott Woodbury-Stewart Founder and CEO Scott@TargetTestPrep.com 122 Reviews 5-star rated online GMAT quant self study course See why Target Test Prep is the top rated GMAT quant course on GMAT Club. Read Our Reviews If you find one of my posts helpful, please take a moment to click on the "Kudos" button. Manager Joined: 15 Aug 2016 Posts: 193 Location: India Concentration: Technology, Operations GMAT 1: 690 Q49 V35 GPA: 3.84 WE: Operations (Consulting) Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay$1000 or  [#permalink]

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05 Oct 2018, 06:46
1
"Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay $1000 or 50% of total cost" Doesn't that mean that for over 2000 amount the insured would always pay 1000 because that will always be less than a value greater than 2000? Example : 1000 or 2001/2. or 1000 or 3000/2. Obviously 1000 and so on.!! EMPOWERgmat Instructor Status: GMAT Assassin/Co-Founder Affiliations: EMPOWERgmat Joined: 19 Dec 2014 Posts: 14812 Location: United States (CA) GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49 GRE 1: Q170 V170 Re: Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay$1000 or  [#permalink]

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05 Oct 2018, 14:42
Hi Micky1005,

YES, that is exactly what the prompt means. With Plan A, ANY total that is GREATER than $2000 will require that the insured pay$1,000 (since that would be LESSER of the two values).

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06 Oct 2018, 06:37
Hi Rich,

I dont know what am I missing.!! How is option C correct? Plan A is giving tax of 1000 and Plan B is giving tax of around 2000
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Re: Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay $1000 or [#permalink] ### Show Tags 06 Oct 2018, 15:07 Hi Micky1005, The prompt tells us what both insurance Plans require the INSURED to pay - meaning that the Insurance Plan would pay out everything else. We're looking for a dollar value that would lead to the SAME payout from the Insurance Plan (you can also think of this as "which dollar value will lead to the insured paying the SAME amount?") With a total bill of$3800:

Plan A requires that the insured pay $1000, meaning that the Plan pays out the remaining$3800 - $1000 =$2800

Plan B requires that the insured pay the initial $300, then the plan pays 80% of the remainder (meaning that the insured pays 20% of the remainder)$3800 - $300 =$3500
The insured pays 20% of the remaining $3500 = (.2)($3500) = $700 When combined with the initial$300, that is a total of $300 +$700 = $1000 that the insured pays. Therefore, Plan B would pay$3800 - $1000 =$2800

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Special Offer: Save $75 + GMAT Club Tests Free Official GMAT Exam Packs + 70 Pt. Improvement Guarantee www.empowergmat.com/ Re: Health insurance Plan A requires the insured to pay$1000 or   [#permalink] 06 Oct 2018, 15:07

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