1
: allowing customers to pay for goods or services without assistance (as by using a payment kiosk)
a self-pay parking garage
self-pay gas stations
2
: making payment (as of a medical bill) with one's own money rather than money from another source (such as a health insurance company)
Self-pay patients who are uninsured will typically pay roughly 25 to 40 percent of the total price for ER visits—so the larger the charge, the larger the out-of-pocket bill.—
Anna Wolfe
: relating to or involving payment (as of a medical bill) with one's own money
Anna Wolfeself-pay treatments/procedures
the hospital's self-pay options
The increase in insurance deductibles and self-pay portions of costs for outpatient services …—Pamela Sherrod
Pamela Sherrod… the hospital said the MRI price in the survey was too high. But it would not disclose what it said would be the self-pay price.—Anna Werner
Anna Werner
self-paid
ˈself-ˈpād 
; self-paying; self-pays
; self-paying; self-pays
: to pay (something, such as a medical bill) with one's own money rather than money from another source (such as a health insurance company)
The average person cannot afford to self-pay for bariatric surgical procedures …—Neil Hutcher
Neil HutcherExamples of self-pay in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Without Insurance Nutritionists and health coaches are not usually covered by insurance and will most likely be self-pay.
—Verywell Health, 27 Oct. 2025
Some hospitals and clinics offer self-pay or cash only discounts for patients who pay without insurance, skipping the paperwork and administrative fees that come with having coverage.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 26 Oct. 2025
For campers, self-registration is available for D.H. Day Campground through November and the Platte River Campground is open by registration through Oct. 31, with Loop 2 open by self-pay into the winter.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 24 Oct. 2025
The Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk said Monday the medications cost $499 at Costco pharmacies for self-pay Costco members.
—Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
The hospital had automatically applied the self-pay discount of $19,600 to Buttgereit’s bill — 20% of the total.
—Katheryn Houghton, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
Back in February, Eli Lilly announced that self-pay patients could get Zepbound single dose vials for $499 per month through its LillyDirect platform.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2025
Rival Eli Lilly has also slashed the price of its GLP-1 weight loss drug, Zepbound, for self-pay patients.
—Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025
Angela Roberts, Baltimore Sun, 2 Mar. 2023
Vasectomy services are available at Planned Parenthood for insurance or self-pay, and there are no grants or financial aid available, officials say.
—Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
Costco and Sam’s Club also recently announced price reductions for self-pay customers, selling Ozempic and Wegovy for $499 a month.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Without Insurance Nutritionists and health coaches are not usually covered by insurance and will most likely be self-pay.
—Verywell Health, 27 Oct. 2025
Some hospitals and clinics offer self-pay or cash only discounts for patients who pay without insurance, skipping the paperwork and administrative fees that come with having coverage.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 26 Oct. 2025
For campers, self-registration is available for D.H. Day Campground through November and the Platte River Campground is open by registration through Oct. 31, with Loop 2 open by self-pay into the winter.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 24 Oct. 2025
The Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk said Monday the medications cost $499 at Costco pharmacies for self-pay Costco members.
—Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
The hospital had automatically applied the self-pay discount of $19,600 to Buttgereit’s bill — 20% of the total.
—Katheryn Houghton, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
Back in February, Eli Lilly announced that self-pay patients could get Zepbound single dose vials for $499 per month through its LillyDirect platform.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2025
Rival Eli Lilly has also slashed the price of its GLP-1 weight loss drug, Zepbound, for self-pay patients.
—Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
The cost for the procedure at the University of Maryland Medical Center ranges from $28,000 to $30,000 for patients like Carlson who self-pay, according to a spokeswoman for the medical center.
—Angela Roberts, Baltimore Sun, 2 Mar. 2023
Vasectomy services are available at Planned Parenthood for insurance or self-pay, and there are no grants or financial aid available, officials say.
—Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Self-pay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-pay. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share