Many medical insurance policies are in existence today.  Choosing the right policy for you need not be a daunting task – IF you do your homework.  Sufficient information on this subject is available to put you in a position to get good medical insurance coverage.

Typically, medical insurance falls into two categories – Indemnity Plans and Managed Care Plans.

Indemnity Plans – This plans allows you to determine your primary physician, rather than one selected from a group.  Instead of your medical bills being sent to you they are sent to your medical insurance company.  They pay what the coverage sets and you are billed for the remainder.  There is a deductible in the policy and the medical insurance begin payments for a covered treatment after you pay the deductible.

Managed Care Plans – This has three different plans:
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) – This is closest to an Indemnity Plan.  This plan has a network of physicians that you can see, and you pay a portion of the cost of your treatment, with your medical insurance company paying the balance.  Choosing to make an appointment with non-network physicians is allowed but for a significantly higher expense.
         
Point-of Service (POS) – This option gives the opportunity for a doctor to refer you to other doctors within the POS plan.  Under certain circumstances, you can be referred to a doctor outside the plan and your medical insurance company will still care for the expense.

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) – An HMO gives you the choice – from a approved HMO medical group – of selecting your doctor.  Usually there is either a small co-pay, or none at all when working with the doctors within this group.  Should a need arise to see a doctor outside the HMO group you need to receive a referral from your primary care physician.  making arbitrary appointments on your own, with an HMO, is costly because you are responsible for the bills of your treatment.