I need help with health insurance terms please

Question

i qualify for insurance beginning next month but i do not know what is the best plan for me, much less what these terms even mean:

Traditional HMO Products

Point-of-Service Products

Preferred Provider Organziation Products

Answer 1

A Health Maintenance Organization - HMO - requires you to select a primary care doctor who will refer you to a specialist if needed. You generally can't go outside the network unless it's an emergency.

A Preferred Provider Organization - PPO - does not require you to select a primary care doctor and you can go to a specialist without a referral. You can go outside the network if you desire but your costs will be higher.

Point of Service - POS - is a blend of the two. You must select a primary care doctor and get referrals but you can go outside the network.

There is no way anyone here can tell you which would be better for your situation. Contact your HR department for more information.