What’s A PPO?

PPO stands for Preferred Provider Organization. It’s a managed care health plan, meaning you get care from a pre-approved “network” of doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers, you'll enjoy lower insurance costs.

PPOs vs. HMOs

PPOs and HMOs are both forms of managed care. But PPOs offer more flexibility.

With an HMO you have to stay within the network of care providers or you don’t get any coverage at all. But a PPO plan will offer coverage for any healthcare provider. So you have the freedom to choose any doctor you want. But you’ll get lower costs when you stay with care providers inside of the network.

Because a PPO offers more flexibility, it can cost more than an HMO. So you'll need to decide which is more important to you — lower costs or more flexibility?

What Will I Have To Pay?

The costs of a PPO are typical of most other health insurance plans. You’ll be responsible for:

• A monthly premium to keep your plan in effect.
• Co-payments, which are fixed amounts of medical expenses.
• A deductible to meet before your coverage begins.

But with a PPO, these costs are usually affordable. And since there are many available PPO plans, you have a good chance at finding one that fits your budget.

To make sure you buy the plan with the most value, compare plans and prices with our online quote service. Just fill out a short form, and see in minutes which plans are a good match for you.