What is the difference between an HMO and Managed Care?
Health Maintenance Organization ( HMO ) is a form of Managed Care. Other forms of Managed Care include PPO’s ( Preferred Provider Organizations ) and POS ( Point of Service ) plans. Generally speaking, PPO’s offer better “in-network” than ” “out-of-network” coverage and do not usually utilize a primary care physician referral process. A POS plan is like a PPO in that it offers better ” in-network” than “out-of-network” coverage but it differs from a PPO plan in that a gatekeeper or primary care physician (PCP) is an integral part of the referral process.
