Most healthcare plans these days are managed care. Managed care is not as well understood as it should be and its effects on your health insurance are even less understood. In order to make sure that you get the right health insurance coverage, you need to know what you are choosing. At Insurance Over Texas in Houston, TX, we have more than 30 years of experience providing the residents of the greater Houston area with personalized insurance services. 

Managed care is a type of healthcare that allows the carrier to manage the care of the members. There is not just one type of managed care, but the basic principle is the same in all of them. Your healthcare is limited to a network of providers. How limited again is determined by exactly which type of managed care. You may need to have a primary care physician who will manage your care and they will provide the referral to other care that you may need. 

The main types of managed care are HMO, PPO and POS. 

HMOs (Health Maintenance Organization) are the most restricted type of managed care. They only pay for visits within the network and require that you have a primary care physician who manages the rest of your care. 

PPOs (Preferred Provider Organization)  are less restrictive and you are allowed to get services outside of the network but you will pay more for that service. 

POS (Point of Service) plans are not quite as flexible as a PPO but not as restricted as an HMO. You will need to have a primary care physician but you are allowed to pay more to go outside the network. 

When you are ready to make your health insurance decision, Insurance Over Texas in Houston, TX is here to give you the assistance you need.