Secret #9 Your co-pay exists to deter you from booking frequent appointments, not to pay your doctor.
From 11 Secrets of the Healthcare System Exposed
Insurances love to collect your premium, but they don’t love for you to actually use medical services, spend their money, or hog up appointments when there’s already not enough to go around.
I don’t know where all the copay money goes, but I never got a copay bonus check.
You know who doesn’t have copays? Direct primary care doctors. And other doctors who don’t play the insurance game.
Personally, I think it’s worth paying a monthly retainer fee that costs less than a gel mani-pedi with tip to know you’ll have access to your direct primary doctor within a reasonable time, whenever you need them.