Copayment in Health Insurance

Understanding co-pay in medical insurance is critical as it directly impacts the premiums and financial coverage of your chosen health insurance plans.

To help you understand the meaning and implications of co-pay, we have discussed in this article what health insurance co-payment is and how you can use it.

What are Co-Payments in Health Insuran​ce?

Co-payment is a percentage amount you pay as part of the claim amount. This percentage will be clearly mentioned in the policy terms and conditions.

The rest of the claim amount, however, will be paid by us for medical services covered under your health policy.

Here is an example that will help you understand what co-pay in health insurance is:

Thus, co-payment is a type of cost-sharing that you bear at the time of claim settlement while we pay the remainder of the claim amount.

This admissible agreement between the insurer and the insured is referred to as co-payment. It is highly recommended to read the co-pay clause in your policy before making a claim to avoid any unexpected surprises.

How and When Does Co-Pay​​ Work?

Note that the co-pay in medical insurance gets activated the moment you make a claim. You must pay the percentage of the claim amount that you agreed upon initially. Reliance General Insurance will make the payment after your payment is made.

Co-pay helps in lowering the premium amount. For example, under our Reliance Health Infinity Insurance plan, you can enjoy a 10% discount on your policy premium, if you choose the 10% voluntary co-pay option.

• How Does Co-Pay Work for Cashless Claims?

  In a cashless claim, you have to pay the percentage that you agreed upon while making the claim and the remainder of the claim value will be paid by us.

• How Does Co-Pay Work for Reimbursement Claims?

  In case of reimbursement, you have to pay the entire amount for the medical treatment and we will deduct the co-payment percentage before compensating you with the remaining amount.​

Different Types of Co-Pay in Medical​ Insurance

Reliance General Insurance Co-Pay in M​edical Insurance

Unlike other providers, Reliance General Insurance offers voluntary/optional co-payments to its customers. Moreover, we allow you to waive co-payment on different plans. Here are some health plans with co-payment clauses that we offer:

*Please note that policy terms and conditions are subject to change in the future. We recommend checking current policy documents before buying health insurance from Reliance General Insurance.

What is the Need for Co-pay in Health​ Insurance Plans?

• It lowers your premium amounts.
• It divides the risk between you and the insurance company. You bear a lesser risk as you pay alower sum out of the total claimed amount.
• Senior citizens can obtain sufficient coverage for their pre-existing ailments by lowering the premium rates through co-pay
• It prevents fraudulent use of health policies.
• It discourages unnecessary claims for luxurious healthcare facilities and promotes the need to make necessary claims only.

Features of Health Insurance Co-Pa​​yment

• The insured individual will have to pay only a portion of the claim value, the insurer will pay most of the amount.
• Co-payment applies to different medical services, including trauma counselling, rehabilitation, physiotherapy(post-hospitalisation), etc.
• It is applicable mostly in the case of health policies for senior citizens.
• Typically, if you pay a high co-payment percentage, your premium cost will be low.
• Co-payment’s primary objective is to discourage avoidable claims and save expenses.

Benefits of Co-Pay in Me​​dical Billing

Reduces Premium Cost

When you opt for co-payment, you are sharing the financial liability along with us for various medical services. As a result, we reduce your premium cost. For this, you have to pay a portion of the claim amount at the time of making a claim.

Contributes to Foreseeable Expenses

You become more aware of the amount you need to pay towards the claim amount because of the co-pay percentage mentioned in the policy. This allows you to estimate how much has to be paid in case you raise a claim for a medical service.

Prevents Minor Claim Raises

Since a part of your money is spent when filing a claim, you refrain yourself from making minor claims for medical services. Making unnecessary or fraudulent claims can be effectively avoided with a co-payment clause. In addition, it also helps you maintain your no-claims bonus points.

Helps Avert High-priced Hospitals

Sometimes, we unknowingly opt for high-end hospitals for medical services that can be easily availed at regular hospitals.

For example, a minor medical treatment at a regular hospital might require you to co-pay ₹3000 as 10% of ₹30,000 and the same at a multi-speciality hospital will cost the policyholder somewhere around ₹6000 (50% more).

This extra expense can be avoided with co-payment as you become more aware of the expenses.

Co-Pay Effect on Insurance Prem​​ium

Premium for a health policy is inversely proportional to co-payment in health policy. This is because when an insured individual has to co-pay, the risk of financial liability falls on both the insurer and the insured, which is why the higher the co-payment amount, the lower the premium cost.

When an individual decides to opt for co-pay health insurance plans, a certain percentage has to be paid by the individual at the time of claim. In doing so, the insured individual can avoid paying a higher premium at the time of purchasing a policy.

However, at the time of opting for co-payment, an individual should consider factors like budget, medical history and the expenses that may be incurred during the policy.

Is Deductible and Co-Pay Different​ from One Another?

Is it Mandatory to Opt for Co-Pay in Medi​​cal Billing?

No, not all insurance plans come with a co-payment option. Also, the co-payment percentage varies from policy to policy.

However, it might be a standard and mandatory clause in some insurance policies. The reason behind this is that insurers want policyholders to use their policies judiciously and in a fair manner.

Reliance General Insurance aims at lowering the cost of the medical expenses of their customers at the time of hospitalisation/treatment, which is why co-payment is voluntary (optional) for our health policies. It is up to you whether you want the co-pay option with your plan or not.

Moreover, if a certain health policy does come with co-payment, you can waiver it off with our add-on option. This way, you will be spared of having to bear any part of the total claim value.

Considerations to Make Before Opti​​ng for Co-Pay

When you understand co-pay in health insurance meaning, you will be able to find the right health plan for your financial protection. Here are some aspects you must consider before you opt for co-payment:

Terms and Conditions of the Policy

Understand everything that the policy has to offer, its co-pay clause, exclusions and other important aspects of the policy. If you are in doubt, get in touch with our team and get clarity on the subject.

Your Medical Requirements

Depending on whether or not you are in the best of health, you should make a decision about co-payment. If you need costly medical treatments in future due to your pre-existing illness, you may not want to co-pay.

Alternatively, if you are a healthy and young individual, you may want a policy with a lower premium as you will need less frequent hospital visits. In this case, you can opt for the co-payment option.

Insurer’s Network

Make sure that the insurer has a wide network of hospitals under its coverage. Reliance General Insurance has over 10,000 hospitals as part of its network, giving you the benefit of reaching out to a hospital near your location.

Your Budget

Whether or not you can afford to co-pay when raising a claim is an important decision you have to make.

Calculate your budget and the co-payment percentage you may have to pay for possible medical services and you can come to a decision regarding the same.

Benefits of the Policy

Check if the policy offers other benefits like annual health check-ups under its coverage. It can help you monitor your overall health, preventing you from having to make hospital visits at all.

Co-pay Percentage

Check and compare co-payment percentages of different health insurance policies. Some policies include co-payment clauses for special treatments as well, so read the policies carefully before you make a choice.

Also Read: Guide to Choosing the Best Health Insurance Plan

Co-Pay in Medical Billing - Draw​​backs

Discourages Raising a Claim

The thought of having to co-pay may discourage policyholders from raising a claim, even for major medical services. When a policyholder has to pay for the policy and additionally pay at the time of making a claim, then they become hesitant in raising a claim.

Extra Management Burden

It is a managerial issue for both the insured and the insurer that may make the process more complex to tackle.

Confuses the Policyholder

Not all policyholders are able to understand how the process of co-payment works, which again complicates matters for the insured.

Added Expenditure for the Policyholder

Having to pay additional money at the time of making a claim means that the insured individual has to pay an extra sum apart from the amount he/she had to pay while paying the premium.

Coverage is Limited

Since co-payment is limited to specific medical services, expenses incurred on medical emergencies are not covered under this clause in the policy.

Should You Buy Health Insurance wi​​th Co-Pay?

As one of the more important health insurance terms, understanding the concept of co-payment is necessary to decide whether or not it is beneficial for you.

If you have followed everything so far, you know by now that co-payment can be financially beneficial if you aim to lower your policy premium cost.

This can be helpful for senior citizens as their premiums are generally costly. However, deciding to opt for a policy with a co-payment option depends on your financial situation and health condition.

If you are someone suffering from critical illness, you may have to visit hospitals more frequently. In this scenario, opting for co-payment may not be a good decision.

On the other hand, if you are healthy and want financial protection for unexpected medical crises, you can opt for a plan that comes with the co-payment clause.

Conclusi​on

Co-payment in health insurance comes with benefits and drawbacks. However, it is up to you whether or not you want to opt for co-payment when filing a claim.

Understanding the basic foundation of this concept can help you make an informed decision, as you will have to pay from your pocket every time you raise a claim.

At Reliance General Insurance, we make co-pays optional under our Health Infinity Insurance plan. You can decide whether or not you want to opt for co-payment based on your financial situation and medical needs

Frequently​ Asked Questions

1. How will I know what my co-payment amount is during claim settlement?

Your co-payment percentage will be mentioned in your policy. Moreover, you can get in touch with your insurance company to know exactly how much you have to co-pay when raising a claim.

2. Why is it recommended to opt for a health plan with co-pay?

It is recommended that you opt for a health policy with co-payment option so that your premium cost is lowered and the strain on premium payment is eased.

3. Is the co-payment percentage mentioned in the policy?

Yes, Reliance ​General Insurance provides the exact co-payment percentage in the policy document to maintain clarity and transparency.

4. Does co-payment apply to cashless hospitalisation as well?

Yes, co-payment applies to both cashless claims and reimbursement.

5. What does a co-payment waiver mean?

   A co-payment waiver means you do not have to co-pay. Reliance General Insurance, apart from voluntary co-payment, also offers add-on option for a co-pay waiver.