What are my health care options?
Health insurance can be complicated and confusing. There are different types of plans: Private Health Insurance There are two major types of private health insurance: 1. Fee-for-service. The provider (such as a doctor or hospital) gets paid for each covered service. With this type, you go to a doctor of your choice, then the doctor or hospital submits a claim to your insurance company for payment. The insurance company will only pay the provider for “covered” services. Most fee-for-service plans have a deductible amount that you must pay each year before the insurance company will begin to pay for medical services. Many plans also require you to pay a portion of the medical expense-called “coinsurance.” 2. Managed care. Managed care plans have contracts with certain doctors, hospitals and other providers to provide medical services to plan members. The three main types of managed care plans are: • Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). They provide health services for a fixed monthly
