Caring for Your Health Journey

PPO, HMO, EPO and POS are all types of networks. They explain where                            you can use your health insurance plan. 

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PPO's or Preferred Provider Organizations are hands down the best type of plans because they have the largest network with the most coverage.

If you have a PPO, you can have any doctor you want and you DO NOT need referrals to go to specialists. 

For example: If you get diagnosed with some type of cancer and you want to fly to the Cleveland Clinic to have it treated, PPO's are the only network that would cover that.

If you know of a wonderful specialist in your area, you can go see them without any primary doctor visit required if you have a PPO. 

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HMO's or Health Maintenance Organizations are more restrictive and generally limited to an in-state network. They do require referrals for any specialist. 

For example: If you have stomach pain and want to see a gastroenterologist, if you have an HMO, you must first see your primary doctor and you must go to the gastro that your primary doctor refers you to.

If you have a specific provider you want to see, you can only see them if they are in the HMO network that your plan covers and if your primary is willing to refer you to them. 

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EPO's and POS are both much more restrictive networks that I would not recommend for anyone unless it was meeting a very specific need or if it was the only network available in the area that someone is able to qualify for.