co-payment

noun

co-pay·​ment ˈkō-ˌpā-mənt 

ˌkō-ˈpā-

variants or co-pay

ˈkō-ˈpā 

or copay or less commonly copayment

plural co-payments or co-pays or copays also copayments

: a relatively small fixed fee that a health insurer (such as an HMO) requires the patient to pay upon incurring a medical expense (as for a routine office visit, surgical procedure, or prescription drug) covered by the health insurer

… patient out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles and co-payments have grown alongside overall [health care] costs.

—kvtz.com

… you can put away tax-sheltered dollars that can be used to pay out-of-pocket medical expenses, such as your doctor visit co-pays or other medical expenses not otherwise covered by your insurance.

—Philadelphia Inquirer

… employees currently have a 10% copay for prescriptions, whether they are purchased at the in-house pharmacy or a network pharmacy.

—Joyce Frieden

Examples of co-payment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The plan calls for work requirements for able-bodied childless adults and co-payments for those above 100% of the federal poverty level. —Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025

Over the past five years, U.S. spending on insurance premiums, out-of-pocket co-payments, pharmaceuticals and hospital services has also increased, government data show. —Annika Kim Constantino,ashley Capoot, CNBC, 22 May 2025

That can vary by health plan, depending on deductibles, co-payments, and other fees. —Daniel Chang, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025

One potential option for the Trump White House would be to require insurers to cover this cost, without co-payments, for all who want it. —Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for co-payment

• copayment
• embayment
• nonpayment
• prepayment
• repayment
• claimant
• payment
• overpayment
• underpayment

Medical Definition

co-payment

noun

co-pay·​ment (ˈ)kō-ˈpā-mənt 

: a relatively small fixed fee that a health insurer (as an HMO) requires the patient to pay upon incurring a medical expense (as for a routine office visit, surgical procedure, or prescription drug) covered by the health insurer