Health insurance is one of the most valued benefits offered by employers or purchased by an individual. This type of insurance comes in three types: HMO (health maintenance organization), PPO (preferred provider organization, EPO (exclusive provider organization), and POS (point of service organization).
Each of these health insurance options offers a specific set of benefits, varying in cost. Choosing the right plan for you or a family requires understanding what a plan provides in benefits. A local insurance agent can explain your options and help you decide the plan that will best match your needs and budget.
If you have a medical provider, clinic, or hospital you trust, the provider must be contracted in the health insurance plan’s health network. Health insurance policies have a list of the in-network medical professionals you can review before settling on a plan.
Some health insurance plans offer the option to include dental insurance, which discounts a range of dental services. Review the benefits of a health insurance plan if you are interested in a plan that offers dental insurance coverage. You can also purchase a stand-alone dental insurance plan.
If you wear glasses or contacts, vision insurance can deliver significant savings. A vision insurance plan reduces the cost of regular eye exams, glasses, and contacts. Some health insurance plans include vision insurance and others don’t. You can purchase a stand-alone vision insurance plan for lower out-of-pocket costs of vision correction services, including eye exams, eyeglasses, frames, and contact lenses.
