What Is Co-Pay in Health Insurance?

 Co-Pay in Health Insurance: Key Facts

Co-pay, or co-payment, is that fixed percentage or amount which a policyholder agrees to pay out-of-pocket for medical expenses. However, the rest is covered by the insurer as per the settlement claims. It is a cost-sharing arrangement set to reduce the liability of the insurer. It also makes the person seeking insurance use health care services responsibly. 

Co-payments can relate to a number of dimensions of health policy, such as consultation, diagnostic tests, stay in the hospital, or treatments.

How Does Co-pay Work?
Co-pay in health insurance means that the policyholder has to pay a certain percentage of the total medical bill. 
Suppose it is 10 per cent, and the entire hospitalisation cost is Rs. 1,00,000. Here, the policyholder pays Rs. 10,000, and the insurer pays Rs. 90,000.

Key Characteristics Of Co-pay In Health Insurance

●Per cent or Fixed Amount is Predefined
This is a fixed sum or percentage, as determined at the time of purchasing the policy. The percentage might vary depending on the policy, type of treatment, or the age of the insured.

●Applicable for Specific Services
While co-payments are typically required for out-of-network services, certain insurance plans mandate co-pays for specific pre-existing conditions or treatments in higher-cost areas like tier-1 cities. This ensures that policyholders contribute to the cost burden, even when their treatments fall under the coverage of their insurance policy.

●Costing Effectiveness
Health insurance policies with co-pay clauses are much cheaper. This is so because there is less risk to the insurer. The risk associated with the insurer decreases while the cost associated with the policy bearer has out-of-pocket expenditure. 
Again, this will be in terms of the trade-off between premium without and out-of-pocket expenses during the time of claim.

Some of the Co-Pay Advantages:

1. Less expensive: Co-pay policies, in general, have lesser premium costs, making them the ideal choice for individuals who need a cheaper alternative.

2. Proper Utilisation of Healthcare: Co-pay encourages the insured to utilise healthcare services prudently. Thus, it avoids treatments and hospital visits that are deemed unnecessary.

3. Choices in Co-Pay: Most of the insurers make co-pay percentages flexible. Hence, this enables the insured to achieve an equilibrium between the costs of the premium and the cost of out-of-pocket expenses.

Considerations Before Getting Co-Pay

Out-of-Pocket Costs: High co-pay percentages increase the out-of-pocket expenses that may occur during a medical claim and may not suit all.

Health History: Low or no co-pay plans should be considered by those who often go for doctor visits since they tend to save on repetition costs.

Get custom-made health insurance with co-payment at ease with Star Health Insurance. Being on its comprehensive list of cashless hospitals and claiming facilities, you can opt for co-payment at a wide network of hospitals. Star Health ensures that you are healthy without incurring extra expenditure.