Costs: With comprehensive health care insurance, you’ll be required to pay premiums, deductibles and co-pays. You pay monthly premiums and, in addition, many policies have deductibles which must be met before the policy provides benefits. Finally, whenever you receive health care services, you may need be required to pay varying amounts, called "co-pays," for services you receive.
Classifications: There are two general classes of comprehensive medical coverage: "Group" and "Individual." You may have a group plan sponsored by your employer, union or professional organization. Group plans typically provide the most benefits at the lowest price. Insurance companies also sell individual plans directly to the public. Individually purchased health insurance usually is more expensive and provides fewer benefits.
Types: The type of coverage you choose is extremely important:
- FFS - Fee-for-service plans provide the most options, allowing you to use any provider you choose. However, purchasing these plans on the open market can be expensive.
- HMO - Health maintenance organizations both insure and deliver health care. HMOs are the least expensive but most restrictive plans. You must live in an HMO's service area to join. In addition, all of your healthcare must approved through a single primary care physician. All referrals to specialists must be through the primary care physician as well.
- PPO - Preferred provider organizations are more expensive than HMOs but less restrictive, meaning referrals are generally not required.
- POS - Point-of-service plans combine an HMO with a PPO and let their members decide which benefits to use. Cost and restrictions tend to average out between the HMO and the PPO models.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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Comprehensive Health Care in Prescott
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