Least Expensive Alternative Treatment (LEAT)
Categories: Insurance
A LEAT provision, also known as a Least Expensive Alternative Treatment provision, is basically a stipulation in a healthcare policy that says that, if there are multiple treatments available for whatever’s ailing us, our insurance will only cover the cheapest one.
This is common in dental insurance policies. Oftentimes, if we need, say, a root canal, our insurance will cover general anesthetic, but if we want to be knocked out for the procedure, we’ll have to pay for that pleasure out of pocket.
We might also see this listed as a LEPAAT provision, which stands for “Least Expensive Professionally Acceptable Alternative Treatment.”