Why are Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO) so Popular?
PPO plans, at least in my area, are wildly popular when people need to select their own individual health insurance. I think that they are popular because they combine simplicity with flexibility. I would never say that PPO plans are the best choice for everybody. But many families like and understand their PPO, and I would tell most families to consider this choice.
Advantages of a PPO
- A network of medical providers agrees to the insurance company guidelines to control costs and provide service.
- Members gain simple access to medical services with a coypay or coinsurance that is easy to understand. Most medical providers in the network will handle insurance billing and paperwork so the insured people just need to present their insurance card and a copay.
- Members will still be covered for non-network medical care, but will have to sacrifice the highest level of coverage. If an insured person wants to see a particular specialist who is not a network provider they can still be covered, but just need to understand that their out-of-pocket costs will be higher.
- Non-network emergency care is usually handled at in-network rates. Exceptions may also be made for non-network treatment that is not an emergency if the network does not have an in-network provider. These exceptions are fairly rare, and they should always be approved in advance if it is not an emergency.
Now this list was not meant to represent any particular health insurance plan, and you should always read the specifics in the information the company publishes. Here is one of the fastest ways to find the top health insurance companies in your area!
Related: Health Insurance Reviews
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