Managed Care

Managed Care Opportunities for Coverage

When you look into managed care possibilities for health insurance, note that there are three basic types of this offering - PPOs, POS, and HMOs. All have their advantages and disadvantages, so be sure to thoroughly review them by yourself or with your insurance agent to make the best choice for you. An important factor for many individuals in search of health insurance is whether or not their projected plan covers prescription drugs. A number of plans have tiered benefit systems, and typically offer a preferred list of prescriptions that have offer lower co-pays. Be sure to look for any medication you are taking on this list; drugs not on the list can have a co-pay that is two times as high. Another thing to look into is if any plans limit the amounts of new prescriptions or refills for a given drug. Finally, look into whether your regular physicians are members of your plan's preferred provider list. All plans offer a database with their provider list on their web site. Opt for a plan that lists the majority of or all of your regular doctors. Take note that many PPOs will pay up to 20 percent less for out-of-network doctors. The best advice is to shop around, call a number of agents and find the most coverage at the best price.