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