When Mr. Anderson checks in for a routine exam and is asked to pay a certain amount despite having insurance, what is this upfront payment called?

The upfront payment that Mr. Anderson is asked to make when checking in for his routine exam is referred to as a copay. A copay is a fixed amount that a patient pays for specific medical services or products at the time of service. This is a common practice in health insurance plans where, despite having insurance coverage, patients are responsible for a portion of their medical costs at the time they receive care.

Copays are designed to share the cost of healthcare between the insurer and the insured, ensuring that patients have some financial responsibility at the point of service. This can help manage healthcare costs and encourage patients to utilize services responsibly.

Understanding the other terms helps clarify further why copay is the right answer. A deductible, for example, is the amount a person must pay out-of-pocket for healthcare before their insurance begins to pay for covered services, which does not apply at the point of service. A premium is the regular monthly payment made to maintain health insurance coverage, but it does not pertain to individual visits or services. Coinsurance is the percentage of costs that a patient is responsible for after meeting their deductible, usually calculated after receiving a service, making it different from a copay, which is a fixed amount paid upfront.