A major medical expense policy typically does NOT include which of the following?

In the context of major medical expense policies, these plans are designed to cover substantial healthcare costs, and they usually incorporate several common features that help manage expenses for both the insurer and the insured.

The correct answer is that a major medical expense policy typically does not pay surgeon fees on a first-dollar basis. First-dollar coverage refers to a scenario where benefits are paid without the insured having to satisfy any deductible. However, major medical insurance commonly includes deductibles to reduce the number of small claims that the insurer must process, encouraging policyholders to use healthcare services more judiciously.

In addition to having deductibles, major medical plans generally also have provisions for coinsurance, which means that after the deductible has been satisfied, the insured and the insurer share the cost of medical expenses. Furthermore, major medical policies are known for providing high limits of coverage, ensuring that catastrophic expenses are covered beyond certain thresholds.

Therefore, the characteristic of paying surgeon fees on a first-dollar basis stands out as inconsistent with the typical structure of major medical expense policies, which instead rely on the parameters of deductibles, coinsurance, and high coverage limits to frame their insurance offerings.