| Health insurance comes in many forms and PPOs are | | | | required. This co-payment would be higher outside |
| a more flexible, but expensive version. Here is a quick | | | | the network and much lower inside it. This is the |
| guide to PPOs. | | | | whole thrust of the rate structure in a PPO. It |
| The biggest difference in managed care insurance | | | | attempts to make the option of seeking all your |
| policies and the more common group health plans of | | | | medical care within the network the most attractive. |
| the past is the freedom to select your own physician | | | | At the same time, it allows you to exercise your |
| or specialist without this decision impacting your | | | | own choice as long as you are willing to pay the |
| coverage. The growth of managed care health | | | | extra costs. |
| insurance policies can be directly attributed to rising | | | | When considered a PPO, it is important to understand |
| medical costs and the attempts to control them. | | | | the size and the location of the network. If the |
| Under a managed care program, a system of health | | | | network appears large enough and local enough to |
| care networks was established. Within the network, | | | | meet your medical needs, the PPO might be a very |
| there would be standard and customary charges. | | | | good option. When you have a PPO, however, and |
| A Preferred Provider Organization, or PPO, is a type | | | | are estimating your yearly cost of health insurance, |
| of managed care insurance plan that addresses this | | | | make sure that you remember that the cost may be |
| desire to retain some say in the choice of a physician | | | | more than just your yearly premium should you opt |
| or specialist. The PPO gives you a choice to use their | | | | to go out of the network for care. |
| network, but allows you to select a physician of your | | | | Despite what may sometimes be a higher yearly |
| own choice also. The costs of using the network | | | | cost, the PPO is extremely popular. The freedom to |
| would be much less and this is the incentive to do so. | | | | choose just the right doctor is important to many |
| If you go out of the network, you will pay much | | | | people. At the same time, the costs are lower when |
| higher costs. These would be in the form of higher | | | | staying within the network. This double approach |
| deductibles and co-insurance payments. | | | | makes the PPO a good choice. A PPO is often the |
| The PPO supports preventive care as do most | | | | best selection for a small business owner or |
| insurance plans today. However, even with | | | | self-employed worker because of its flexibility. |
| preventive care, there may be a co-payment | | | | |