Thursday, December 25, 2008

Health Care Insurance In Texas - Managed Care Health Plans

By Jordan FeRoss

Managed care health plans work as a network or group of medical professionals and hospitals that are contracted with the health plan. This helps insurance companies and health care providers work together to give patients the care they need. Usually, a managed care plan requires that its members only obtain services through doctors and hospitals that are in their network. Basically, you are more limited in choosing your health care providers, but the advantage is that you save money. Most health insurance providers in Texas use managed care plans.

The appeal of managed health care plans lies in the fact that they have lower premiums than other types of health insurance in Texas. This is largely due to the rates and fees charged for medical services agreed upon by the doctors and hospitals. They are chosen because they are willing to reduce their rates to work with the insurer. Expensive diagnostic testing and certain medical procedures are kept to a minimum or avoided entirely. In addition, managed care health plans offer wellness programs such as smoking cessation, so patients will stay healthier and require fewer visits to doctors and hospitals.

Managed care providers offer three different categories of health insurance in Texas:

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) - The HMO is unique in that it requires the patient to choose a Primary Care Physician (PCP) and work directly with that doctor for all care. Patients must see their PCP before visiting a specialist, receiving tests or being admitted to a hospital to get the PCP's (and insurer's) approval. The PCP will refer patients only to doctors within the HMO's network and patients pay a co-pay for office visits but there are often no deductibles. The HMO is generally the least expensive choice in managed care.

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) - This plan allows you to see any doctor you choose. The only disadvantage with this is that if the doctor is outside of the network, you will have to pay more. With health care insurance in Texas, it is strongly encouraged that people use a doctor within the network.

POS (Point Of Service) - This optional plan allows you to use doctors and other medical services outside of the HMO network. Also, you are not required to get a referral. Doctors and other providers used outside of the network will require you to pay more, even for health care insurance in Texas.

For health care insurance in Texas, you are required to pay a premium in order to keep the health plan active. For certain medical services, such as surgeries, you may be required to pay a deductible before the insurance will pay anything. The deductible is an out-of-pocket expense that you provide. Depending on what insurance plan you choose, you will pay that certain deductible amount before your insurance kicks in.

Co-pays are another cost consideration for anyone choosing a health insurance plan in Texas. You usually need to cover your co-pays for every doctor and hospital visit and when filling prescriptions, even once you meet your deductible. With several managed care insurance plans (especially an HMO), there are limits to a patient's out-of-pocket annual expenses so costs do not get out of control.

If you have health care insurance in Texas, it is important that you go over these plans and determine which one would benefit you the most. It's even more crucial if you have a family because you have to also look out for them. - 16928

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