A copay, or copayment, is a fixed fee that you pay for a covered health care service after youve paid your deductible. For example, if you have a $100 doctors visit copay, you pay $100 for the visit, and your insurance covers the rest of the cost. Copays can vary for different services within the same plan, like drugs, lab tests, and visits to specialists. Generally, plans with lower monthly premiums have higher copays, while plans with higher monthly premiums usually have lower copays. Copays are a form of cost-sharing under many health insurance plans, and they provide a simple and predictable way for individuals to contribute to their healthcare costs at the time of service, making it easier to access medical care without bearing the full financial burden. Copays typically count toward meeting your out-of-pocket maximum, which is the most youll need to pay out-of-pocket when using health insurance and some dental and vision insurance plans.