Health insurance policyholders are often required to make a co-payment towards the cost of prescription drugs, physician visits and other types of insured expenses.To assist insurees with covering these expenses, agencies and organizations in various countries offer copay relief services. The eligibility criteria for copay programs typically include factors such as age, income level and physical health. In other instances, copay relief is provided to individuals suffering from certain conditions and people willing to take specific types of prescription drugs. These programs often take the form of secondary insurance, in which case the cost of the copay is charged to the government operated insurance plan.
Some governmental agencies offer various types of copay relief programs to retirees and young children. In some instances, low-income families and individuals are able to participate in these programs. Many government agencies attempt to keep costs low by excluding people from relief plans if their income level exceeds certain levels. Generally, government operated plans are funded by national or regional taxes.
Non-profit groups and charitable organizations often provide copay relief to individuals who are suffering from certain types of illnesses or disabilities. In many instances, these organizations partner with medical firms that conduct research into remedies and cures. Such procedures are often prohibitively expensive during the research stage and insurance firms normally require insurees to cover the majority of the cost. Consequently, charitable groups offer copay relief to ensure that people with these conditions are able to receive treatment. These plans also help with the development of new drugs and cures by providing medical companies with large numbers of test patients.
Pharmaceutical companies often sponsor copay programs. Typically, these firms cover the cost of copays for new types of drugs. Many medical providers are reluctant to prescribe recently launched drugs to patients until statistical data based upon widespread studies suggest that these drugs can be safely used. By covering the cost of copays, pharmaceutical firms provide an incentive for patients to ask their physicians for certain types of drugs. Consequently, large numbers of people begin using these new types of medication and providing health care providers with the kind of data that they desire.
Some financial companies sell insurance policies that among other things provide copay relief to individuals who have experienced job loss or are physically unable to work. Generally, these plans are sold to healthy, currently employed workers and these individuals make regular premium payments while still employed. In the event that an insuree experiences a job loss or becomes disabled, the insurance provider covers copays for medical costs and certain other types of essential expenses.