In today’s healthcare market, there are dozens of options for health insurance plans to choose from, so it can be difficult to decide which plan best suits your particular needs and preferences.
However, if you take the time to find the right plan for you, there are many benefits to having health insurance coverage, including access to discounted medical care and prescription drugs, financial protection against high medical bills, lower monthly premiums, and more!
In this guide, we’ll talk about the three types of health insurance plans to choose from and how you can pick the best one for your unique needs and preferences.
Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)
Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) give you a network of participating doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers. To get HMO health insurance, you are required to select a Primary Care Provider (PCP) from that network. Your PCP (primary care physician) is your lifeline for health.
Your primary care physician will help coordinate all of your care, as well as provide referrals to specialists in your network. If you stay in-network, HMO plan costs are typically lower than other types of health insurance.
Exclusive Provider Organizations (EPOs)
Exclusive Provider Organizations (EPOs) are health insurance plans that give you access to a network of participating providers to select from. Except in emergencies, most EPO plans do not cover out-of-network care. You will likely be responsible for the full cost if you visit a provider or facility outside the plan’s local network.
With EPOs, you may or may not be required to choose a Primary Care Provider (PCP). So, if you want to visit a specialist in your network, you do not need a referral from your PCP.
Point-Of-Service (POS) Plans
A Point-of-Service (POS) health insurance plan is a type of health insurance that combines features of both HMO and PPO plans. This plan has a smaller network reach compared to PPO plans. Nonetheless, the cost of in-network care is lower.
Once you are on a POS plan, you need to select a Primary Care Provider from within the network of the healthcare plan’s doctors and other healthcare providers. Your PCP is your home base for advice and medical care. They get to know you and your needs, so they can work to make all of your needs work seamlessly.
Contact Goldstein Health for more information on health insurance plans today. This will save you the time and energy of doing the leg work yourself.