Managed Health Care and Indemnity Health Care

For individual and family health care policies, there are two basic forms of coverage. The health insurance consumer has a choice between indemnity health insurance or managed health insurance plans. When requesting an online health insurance quote, it is important to understand the difference. Online health insurance carriers offer both forms of coverage. The most distinctive differences between the two forms of coverage pertain to the handling of the out-of-pocket expenses are how the actual health care service bills are paid.

One of the advantages of indemnity health insurance is that these plans offer a broader selection of health care providers than do managed care plans. This allows the family or individual to select specialists or treatment facilities from a wider base. One of the disadvantages of indemnity health plans is that invoices for services must be paid for by the consumer who then forwards the invoice to the health insurance provider. Many consumers are uncomfortable with this feature.

Household cash flow often does not permit a family to wait for reimbursement from the provider for these necessary expenses. As everyone knows, there is no convenient time to be sick or to need health care.

There are many managed care health insurance plans. These more popular models include HMO, PPO, and POS plans. Each plan is different, but the managed care concept evolves around the provision of “in-network” services with allowances and standards for “out-of-network” services. Under these plans, a group of physicians and facilities is formed. This becomes the nucleus for the network. All services within the network have pre-arranged costs.

Online health insurance quotes include both indemnity and managed care plans. Consumers seeking individual, family or group coverage will do well to receive online quotes. The online providers have vast pools of health insurance companies to draw from and find the best prices for policies through their competitive resources. Online health insurance quotes are processed rapidly and the consumer is under no obligation until an appropriate policy is selected. Online health insurance is another way the internet can serve consumers.

In addition to the cash flow advantages of managed care plans, consumers find that managed care plans generally require much less paperwork. While the out-of-pocket expenses are lower, the insured needs to be very aware of any deductibles and exact co-pay requirements. This information is explained in the online health insurance quotes and again in the policy itself.

Like many of 21st century services, the internet is the place to shop and receive information about this critical household concern. Begin your search for individual, family or group health insurance with an online quote.

HMO or Health Maintenance Organization Coverage

If you are seeking a health insurance quote online, the terminology can be slightly confusing. Getting a health insurance quote online is a wise idea because the online provides have access to all available plans in your area and because they can structure a plan to meet you or your family’s needs.

When selecting a policy it is imperative to know the various forms of insurance. The most popular plans today are called HMO plans. HMO plans are called Health Maintenance Organization plans. In this plan, the member prepays a monthly premium to receive the HMO’s health services and products, all of which are thoroughly explained during the selection process and are itemized in the carrier’s policy. The HMO is responsible for the provision of the services in their policy to their insured members.

The HMO negotiates with physicians, health care providers, hospitals and other industry professionals to provide these services. These entities compose the basic HMO network. The provision of these network services is coordinated by the member’s primary care physician, who the member can select from a list of primary care physicians on their participating physician list.

If the member requires a health related service that is not offered within the network, the member can consult with the health insurance provider who will approve treatment at an out-of-network resource. Use of out-of-network providers can cost the member additional money and in some cases the member may have to pay for the service and apply for compensation from the HMO plan. Most HMO plans require the member to consult with them when using a provider not listed on their roster. In fact, it is a good idea to stay in regular contact with the HMO coordinator when using any medical services.

Consumers should understand that at the core of the HMO plan is the primary care physician. If you are selecting a family plan, you may want to select a primary care physician who has pediatric experience or if someone in the family or if there are four females on your family plan, you may want to select a physician who works with females. The primary care physician coordinates the patient’s care with other physicians and service providers in the plan by issuing referrals to these providers. After a general physical examination, the primary care physician identifies the ailment or condition and refers the patient to a specialist within the HMO plan.

HMO plans are available online. To receive a free, non-binding health insurance quote or quote for HMO coverage, complete a brief questionnaire and allow the online health insurance provider to find suitable plans in your area. Often the recipient will receive multiple quotes from multi0ple carriers and the online provider will assist the candidate in the selection process. Receiving a proposal from an online provider is a cost efficient way to find coverage for you or you family.