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Before You Enroll

Signing up for your benefits should be easy. Here, you’ll learn about different types of health plans and find out how to get ready for enrollment.

Types of Health Insurance Plans

You may have more choices than ever before when it comes to your health insurance. To help you make the right decision for you and your family, here is a quick comparison of different health insurance plan types.

Please note: Not all of these plan types may be available to you when you are shopping on your enrollment website.

HMO

Health Maintenance Organization

  • May have lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs than PPO plans and CDHPs
  • You select a primary care physician (PCP) who coordinates your care within the network
  • If you need to see a specialist, you’ll need to get a referral from your PCP
  • Fewer doctors accept HMO plans
  • May have a smaller deductible

How an HMO Saves You Money

Overview of how an HMO network gives you predictable copayments, along with the medical care.

  • View Transcript

    Meet Sally. Sally likes roller derby but she doesn't like unexpected medical bills. With an HMO plan Sally goes to a select group of doctors and providers. It can save her a lot of money. Her HMO keeps her monthly premiums low and Sally can get free or affordable health care for services like flu shots or physicals. If Sally needs a specialist her doctor can refer her to one. When Sally receives care from providers in her network she has the peace of mind of knowing that her co-payments will be manageable and predictable. An HMO plan makes it easy for Sally to receive quality care while also saving her money so Sally can keep taking the hits while her wallet doesn't.

PPO

Preferred Provider Organization

  • Generally have higher premiums than HMO plans and CDHPs
  • You don’t have to pick a PCP
  • In most cases, you can go to any provider in your network without a referral
  • When you receive care out-of-network your costs are likely to be higher
  • Usually have a deductible — the amount you have to pay out-of-pocket until your health insurance plan kicks in

PPO Johnny: A Man Who Wants the Widest Choices of Doctors for His Family

With a large family, Johnny is keeping up with a wide variety of medical needs. Selecting a PPO plan gives him the widest network of doctors and hospitals available. Everyone gets the doctor they want, including Johnny.

  • View Transcript

    Meet Johnny. Johnny and his family like to have options. For example, they like being able to choose their doctors and hospitals. Johnny and his family members can choose any doctors, specialist or hospital they'd like as long as they're included in the PPO network. With a PPO plan he may have higher co-payments than he would have on an HMO plan but he and his family have more choices. A PPO plan gives Johnny and his family more choices and flexibility and that's a choice that suits the whole clan.

CDHP and HSA Option

Consumer Directed Health Plan and Health Savings Account

  • Lower premiums because you have higher out-of-pocket costs
  • As with PPO plans, you don’t need to pick a PCP or get a referral to see a specialist
  • Has a high deductible and may be paired with a tax-advantaged account such as an HSA
  • If you are eligible, you may set up an HSA and put pre-tax contributions into it to pay for your medical expenses

See the Health Savings Account (HSA) Fact Sheet for more information.

CDHP Kate: Planning Ahead for Future Medical Bills

Kate doesn't need a psychic to know that she's going to have medical bills down the road. A CDHP lets her save money, tax-free, to help cover the cost of her health care. She can use it for dependents, too.

  • View Transcript

    Meet Kate. Kate is not a psychic but she is good at planning ahead. Kate has a health plan with a health savings account also known as a consumer-directed health plan or CDHP. With a CDHP, Kate can set aside money tax-free to pay for her health care. The savings account can help pay for things like Kate’s dental check-ups, prescriptions and contact lenses or glasses. The savings account can also pay for unforeseen things like treatment for a sprained ankle or a child who needs to go to a doctor. In fact, Kate can use her savings account to pay for many qualified medical expenses that might be coming up. Since this savings account is tax-free when used for qualified expenses it helps Kate save money on health care. So, who needs a psychic? With CDHP you can plan for your healthcare costs ahead of time and that's a fortunate thing.

Provider Finder

It’s always a good idea to stay within your network to get the most out of your plan and avoid unexpected costs. We make it easy to see who’s in our network with Provider Finder®.

*Plan networks vary by state. HMO or PPO networks may not be available in some states.

What You Need to Know

Your enrollment website has tools that can help you make decisions about your benefits through the employee decision tool, which suggests plans we feel may work best for you.

Easy to Use

All you have to do is:

  1. Set up your account.
  2. Answer a few questions.
  3. Review your suggested benefit plans.
  4. Choose the best plan(s) for you and your family.

Support and Education

Educational videos and tips are available during the enrollment process to help you understand your options and make smart decisions.