The healh insurance market provides a lot of choices for consumers. And there is not a simple answer when trying to decide which major medical plan would be the best for you and the people you love. You need to examine how these plans work, and then decide which one will work the best for you.
Major Medical Insurance Plan Types
A PPO plan provides a network list of medical providers. These can be doctors, hospitals, and therapists. The insurer will provide the best benefits if you choose to get medical services from the health professionals on this list. However, you are still free to choose another service that is not on the list. You just have to understand that your coverage levels will be lower. Because this type of plan provides coverage, with flexibility, it is probably the most popular type of healh plan today.
A Health Maintenance Organization, or HMO, is somewhat similar to a PPO. You have a network list of medical providers, but you must use them to be covered at all. Though an HMO is not as flexible as a PPO, it can provide very good coverage and be simple to use. You may be happy with this choice if you live in an area where there is a wide selection of nework providers.
Even though both HMO and PPO plans have networks, the insurer will probably allow for some coverage exceptions in the event of an emergency or urgent care need. If you cannot find a certain type of provider in the network, you may also get permission to use another provider. You just need to understand how the plan works before you need the service.
One newer type of plan is called an HSA (Health Savings Account). If you like to manage your own medical costs, and are good at saving, this may be an option to consider. You can fund the savings account to pay for medical expenses, and the money is tax deductible. Some accounts even pay interest!
You do not have to worry if you do not spend all of the money in your account because it will roll over to the next year. The account can be cashed out later, when you hit retirement age too.
Be aware that not everybody likes this type of health plan because they have not done a good job of funding the account. Since the actual major medical plan has a high deductible, and since this money has to come from somewhere, these costs must be paid somehow.
Nobody can make a general statement about medical plans. There is not one right plan for everybody. Your own choice will depend upon many factors, including your needs, budget, and the way you like to plan.
You need to consider the medical providers you can choose from, the costs of expenses tha will not be covered, and of course, the premium you have to pay for coverage. That way you can make a decision that will provide financial and health security for you!
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