A copay (or copayment) is a fixed amount you may pay for a covered health care service, usually at the time you receive the service.
You might remember times when you went in for a doctor visit and maybe paid a $15 or $20 copay before or after your visit (copay amounts vary depending on the provider and service). That’s how copays work. With health plans that have copays (not all do), you’ll know what you have to pay ahead of time — which can help you budget your health care costs. For most plans, your copay does not apply toward your deductible.