As long as one is in good health, there are minimal chances of falling ill. However, in the present times, it has become essential that every adult, plans not only for his/her own but also for the families’ long-term medical requirements. The cost of quality medical care is increasing and unless a suitable patient care plan is identified and gradually invested in, it could be a serious issue at the later stage.
Most patient care plans in the US are categorized by the kind of benefits they provide with metal categories like bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. The higher the insurance benefits, the higher is the corresponding premiums involved. The platinum patient care plans offer maximum coverage of medical expenses in the event of hospitalization with your out of pocket expenses being around 10 % of the total cost. The bronze patient care plans can ideally cover up to 60% of the expenses with you having to meet the remaining 40%.
Keeping this in mind, the following are the kinds of patient care plans available in the USA which will help you make a wise decision:
Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) –
An HMO patient care plan makes it possible for you to avail the services only with the registered medical practitioners and hospitals on their network. They also provide services for a fixed annual fee.
Preferred provider organizations (PPOs) –
These in comparison with the HMO plans give in a little leverage regarding choosing your preferred medical organization. However, your out of pocket costs are likely to be minimal if you opt to see a medical professional who is in the network, covered by the plan.
Exclusive provider organizations (EPOs) –
Under this plan, you can consult with any doctor within the network of the providers, but the plan doesn’t offer any coverage for non-network consultants.
Point-of-service (POS) plans –
A POS plan essentially combines the benefits of an HMO and a PPO plan, whereby your primary care physician will refer you to a specialist, but your out of pocket costs will vary depending on whether the service is in the network or not.