A Co-payment is the amount you are required to pay when you receive health care. It will vary in amount depending on your Health Insurance plan, and may be either a set amount or a percentage, sometimes called a deductible. Here’s what to expect.

If you go to the doctor for a regular office visit, you’ll usually be expected to pay your copayment amount. Generally, an insurance plan will carry a co-payment of $20 or $25, but it could be more or less – dependent entirely on the type of coverage you have. Beware that the co-payment will increase dramatically if you have a PPO or similar plan and opt to use a doctor or clinic outside your network. After you pay that set amount, the insurance company will pay the entire remainder of the cost of that particular visit. What’s really great about this is that most doctors now perform minor testing in the clinic. You may receive x-rays, blood work, urinalysis, blood sugar testing and more right in the office. You may also find that your doctor is able to do minor procedures and even some minor surgeries in-house. That means that the insurance will pay for the entire cost of those tests and procedures with the exception of the co-pay, whatever amount that may be.

In the event you require a hospital stay, the co-payment may be replaced by a deductible. It’s important to note that you may also have a pre-certification requirement – a requirement that you or the hospital notify the insurance carrier prior to the hospital for planned stays and within a certain time period for emergencies.

If your insurance plan includes drug coverage, you’ll likely be offered the option to pay one co-payment amount for name brand drugs and another for generic drugs. The co-pay for generic is usually cheaper and may be even less expensive if you opt for a mail order drug plan through your company.

Talk to your insurance agent or a representative of your Insurance Provider about your co-payment requirements.