Copayment (Copay)
Insurance Glossary
A fixed dollar amount a patient pays for a covered health service, such as a set charge for an office visit or a prescription fill. It differs from coinsurance, which is a percentage of the bill rather than a flat amount, and plans commonly apply copays to routine care while running larger expenses through the deductible and coinsurance. Copays generally count toward the out-of-pocket maximum, and whether one applies before or after the deductible is met depends on the plan.
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