POS-- Point-of-Service Plans

The Point-of-Service Plans (POS) is a type of managed health care system combining features of the HMO and the PPO.

Like an HMO, when you become a member in a POS plan, you are required to choose a primary care physician (PCP) who is responsible for all referrals within the POS network to direct your health care. This primary care physician who will become your "point of service" must be chosen from within the health care network. However, if you choose to go outside the POS network for healthcare, you are free to see any doctor or specialist without consulting your primary care physician (PCP) firstly unlike in an HMO.

Like an HMO, you usually pay only a minimal co-payment and no deductible when you use a healthcare provider within your network. Additionally, you can also obtain in-network benefits

• 100% payment of the cost of most physicians’ services as long as you pays a co-payment, including even preventive care.
• 100% payment of the cost of treatment in the event of an emergency and may include a co-payment.
• 100% payment of the cost of patient surgery and may include a co-payment.

POS coverage functions more like a PPO if you choose to go outside the network for treatment.

Like a PPO, you will likely to pay a deductible, and for an individual it is around $300 while for a family it is about $600.

Like a PPO, your co-payment will be an actual percentage of the physician's charges which is usually 30% to 40%.

And it is your responsibility to fill out all the sheets when you go outside the network. What’s more, sending bills in for payment and keeping an accurate account of health care receipts are also what you should consider. Therefore you can make your decision whether to go out-of-network or in-network whenever you need medical care. The choice is always at your ease.

The costs of a POS plan are not much lower than HMO and PPO, because the health insurance company will still monitor most of your health care. But they differ greatly in benefits and out- of- pocket expenses, so it is important to make your choices cleverly and try to find the right policy to suit your circumstances.