Concept in Definition ABC

The concept of copayment is applicable to any service (public or private) in which the Username or client you pay a small amount each time you use a specific service.

Some health insurance companies have a payment system for their services known as a copayment. It consists of the entity's client paying a small amount each time he uses a medical service and, on the other hand, he also pays a certain premium.

A practical example

An insurance company offers a policy of health to its clients and in it the modality of copayment is established. Thus, each month the client pays an amount of money for health coverage (for example, $ 60) and each time he visits to a medical specialist or uses a service has to pay a certain amount (for example, $ 3 for a bone scan). In this way, the client and the insurance company participate in paying for a service, since the $ 3 paid by the client is a part of the total cost of the service received.

The copayment system has supporters and detractors. The former present a series of arguments

1) the user or customer of the service assumes a responsibility and by paying a copayment each time you use a service, you do not fall into the temptation to use it abusively and indiscriminately,

2) from the point of view of the company providing the service, the cost is significantly reduced and

3) From the customer's point of view, the cost of the insurance premium remains stable because the co-payment prevents the periodic premium from increasing in price.

Against the system

Opponents of the copayment consider this system to be abusive and unfair for several reasons:

1) are paid twice for the same service (on the one hand, the insurance premium and on the other, the amount of the co-payment),

2) if the copayment affects a public service, there is also a double payment or repayment (the taxes that citizens pay plus the copayment amount),

3) in relation to the health system (public or private), the co-payment penalizes the disease, a perverse circumstance,

4) the co-participation system can negatively affect the health of the most disadvantaged, since certain quotas are not acceptable for those who have scarce resources Y

5) in those countries where the health public includes a co-payment modality increases the inequality among citizens, since some can assume the copayment and others cannot.

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Copay issues