| POS stands for Point-of-Service. It is a type | | | | have to fill any forms and do other kind of |
| of managed healthcare plan. Other types of | | | | paperwork. However, outside the network you |
| managed care plans such as HMO (Health | | | | will be required to complete your file |
| Maintenance Organization) and PPO (Preferred | | | | containing healthcare receipts and copies of |
| Provider Organization) are more popular and | | | | duly filled out forms. |
| better known to people than POS. This type of | | | | |
| insurance plan can be called a hybrid plan or | | | | As compared to other managed care plans you |
| a combination of both HMO and PPO. It | | | | have the maximum freedom in a POS plan. You |
| provides the freedom of PPO along with the | | | | can go outside the network freely and still |
| low cost benefits associated with an HMO | | | | get compensations provided that your PCP |
| plan. In this article we will discover some | | | | gives you the referral. Co-payments within |
| of the advantages offered by the POS plan. | | | | the network are very low as compared to HMO |
| | | | or PPO and there are no deductibles. In |
| You will be required to choose a primary care | | | | addition to this the annual fee that you to |
| physician (PCP) just like an HMO plan. The | | | | give to the insurance company is very low. |
| plan consists of a provider network and you | | | | The costs of POS plan are lower than those of |
| have to choose your PCP within that network. | | | | other plans because most of the time your PCP |
| If the doctor you want to choose is not | | | | will choose a specialist that is inside the |
| listed there you might have to change you | | | | network and you wont have to go to see an |
| mind or choose another healthcare insurance | | | | expensive specialist. |
| plan. The PCP will become your point of | | | | |
| service. If you need to see a specialist or | | | | Some of the disadvantages of a POS plan are: |
| another physician that is outside the | | | | for non-network healthcare there are high |
| network, your PCP will have to make | | | | co-payments and getting referrals for |
| referrals. Without a referral the insurance | | | | specialists might not be an easy task. In |
| plan will not cover your healthcare charges. | | | | addition to this there are deductibles in |
| If you do get a referral from your PCP, the | | | | case of non-network healthcare. However, the |
| plan will provide some compensation for the | | | | plan is overall less costly than PPO because |
| charges you will have to pay to see that | | | | the insurance company covers most of your |
| specialist. Within the network you do not | | | | visits to physicians and specialists. |