As a member of a PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plan, you'll be encouraged to use the insurance company's network of preferred doctors and hospitals. These health care providers have been contracted to provide services to the plan's members at a discounted rate. You typically won't be required to pick a primary care physician but will be able to see doctors and specialists within the network at your own discretion.
With an HMO, which is a type of managed care organization, you use a network of doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers that your insurance company has pre-approved for services and payment. They’re called in-network providers.
With an HMO, you choose a primary care doctor who’s in-network to coordinate your care. You must get a referral from your primary care provider in order to see a specialist.
A point-of-service (POS) plan is a type of managed-care health insurance plan that provides different benefits depending on whether the policyholder uses in-network or out-of-network healthcare providers.
It combines features of the two most common health insurance plans: the health maintenance organization (HMO) and the preferred provider organization (PPO). POS plans represent a small share of the health insurance market. Most policyholders have either HMO or PPO plans.
