Copays are a fixed fee you pay when you receive covered care like an office visit or pick up prescription drugs. A deductible is the amount of money you must pay out-of-pocket toward covered benefits before your health insurance company starts paying. In most cases your copay will not go toward your deductible
Late 18th century Edit
On July 16, 1798, President John Adams signed the first Federal public health law, "An act for the relief of sick and disabled Seamen." This assessed every seaman at American ports 20 cents a month. This was the first prepaid medical care plan in the United States. The monies were used for the care of sick seamen and the building of seamen's hospitals. This act created the Marine Hospital Service under the Department of the Treasury. In 1802 Marine Hospitals were operating in Boston; Newport; Norfolk; and Charleston, S.C. and medical services were contracted in other ports
