Types

• The three types of managed health care are Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Point of Service (POS) and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO).
  
  

Benefits

• Manage care health plans are designed to keep member's medical costs low by contracting a network of doctors who will provide care at a discounted rate.
  
  

Primary Care Physicians

• Managed health care plans may require the member to choose a Primary Care Physician (PCP). A PCP is a doctor in charge of facilitating care for patients as well as issuing referrals to see other physicians and specialists.
  
  

Misconceptions

• PPO members are not required to choose a PCP to manage their care unlike those belonging to HMO and POS plans.
  
  

Warning

• If a member of a managed health care plan decides to seek out-of-network care without a referral from their PCP, they will have to pay more out-of-pocket and in some cases the entire medical bill.