There are a lot of decisions to make when it comes to choosing a health insurance plan. One of the first decisions you will need to make is which type of plan is right for you.
You’ve probably heard the terms health maintenance organization (HMO) and preferred provider organization (PPO), but do you really understand the differences between them?
Health maintenance organizations (HMO)* have a network of doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers who provide their services for a specific payment, which allows the HMO to maintain costs for its members. Cost and choice are the 2 features that set HMOS apart from other healthcare plans.
Preferred provider organizations (PPO) offer a network of healthcare providers to use for your medical care at a certain rate. Unlike HMO, a PPO offers you the freedom to receive care from any healthcare provider—in or out of your network.
* Please note, a referral is required.
Generally speaking, an HMO might make sense if lower costs are most important and if you don’t mind using a PCP to manage your care. A PPO may be better if you already have a doctor or medical team that you want to keep but doesn’t belong to your plan network.
Medicare HMO and PPO
Medicare also has both PPO and HMO options. If you are eligible or over the age of 65, you might want to check out Humana’s Medicare PPO plan or Humana’s Medicare HMO plan.
Humana dental and vision
Dental and vision coverage are also available in both PPO and HMO plans. You can learn more about Humana’s dental plans, and Humana’s vision plans.
Now that you understand the major differences between the 2 types of insurance, you may have an idea of which 1 makes the most sense in your situation.
If you are ready to purchase an individual medical plan, go to eHealth.com. There you will find information about all of the plans available in your area. Then you can sign up for the insurance that makes the most sense for you.
But if you’re still undecided about individual medical plans and would like even more information to make your decision, please visit our PPO overview page or our HMO overview page.