Types of Health Insurance Coverage

By Peter Lucus


Health insurance policies often perform the most essential role in figuring out how your insurance is applied. Unless you have a lot of cash to spend every time you incur medical cost, obtaining health insurance is a necessity. There are various kinds of health insurance coverage for young adults, babies and elderly people. Generally, health insurance coverage falls under Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Plans, Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Plans, Free for Service Plans and Point of Service (POS) Plans.

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO):

This plan is the mixed form of Free for Service and HMO plans. You'll have restricted option of physicians and hospitals. However, like the Free-For-Serviceplans, the majority of your healthcare expenses are covered under these plans. You'll get a card that helps you to visit doctor's place without filling forms.

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO):

A Health Maintenance Organization, or "HMO", is a prepaid health plan. You have to pay month-to-month premium. In exchange, it offers comprehensive health care for both you and your family members, including doctors' visits, hospital stays, unexpected emergency care, surgery, laboratory (lab) exams, x-rays, and therapy. This kind of plans are arranged health care either in its own group or through doctors. Your option of doctors and hospitals are restricted. Nevertheless, exceptions are made in emergencies or when medically necessary.

Free-For-Service Plans (FOS):

The Free for Service Plan is the oldest kind of health insurance coverage. You are absolutely free to choose the physician, specialist, surgeon or even the place you will obtain your medical services from and it doesn't require any approvals or referrals from other institutions. The downside of Fee-for-service plans is that they're quite expensive and usually have higher deductibles than managed care ideas. Besides, you'll also have to pay a large part of your actual healthcare bill from pocket. So, you'll have to pay the price in order to maintain the flexibility of the policy.

Point-Of-Service Plans (POS):

The purpose of Service plan is comparable to PPOs. They also provide insured to seek services from healthcare professionals outdoors their network.




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