Both individual health and dental insurance plans have confusing, yet important, abbreviations. Below is an explanation of each to help you learn the things you need to know about individual health and dental insurance plans.
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): An HMO is a health insurance plan that allows you to choose a primary care physician who will act as your go between in the event you need to see a medical specialist outside of your primary care physicians field. If you have an HMO health insurance plan, you prepay for services rather than pay a deductible.
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO): PPOs are available with both individual health insurance plans and dental insurance plans. Like an HMO, a PPO lets you choose your doctor or dentist within a particular network. Unlike an HMO, you only pay for the services you are given by the doctor or dentist.
Point of Service (POS): A POS is a health insurance plan that combines features from HMOs and PPOs. Like an HMO, there is usually no deductible, low co-pay, and a primary care physician. Like a POS, youre allowed to go out of the network of doctors, in which case youll pay a deductible and...