Whats the best place to get health insurance..? whats best hmo or ppo?

in looking for full family of 4 . for covorage? what the best plan available?

Hello Lizard,

There are LOTS of things to consider when purchasing plans for your family. As far as purchasing an HMO plan vs. a PPO plan here are some things to consider:

1) With an HMO plan you are required to stay in a specific network of physicians, and all care is coordinated by the primary care physician (PCP). That essentially means, if you have a mole and you want to get it removed by a dermatologist, you have to go to the PCP first and he/she as to refer you to the specialist. This is done to help contain costs and avoid unnecessary referrals.

When you're buying HMO coverage, your premium is going to be higher than a PPO plan, because your share of cost is lower throughout the year. Think of it like a see-saw: If the premium is higher, the share of cost will be lower; if the premium is lower, the share of cost will be higher. It's ALWAYS a trade off.

2) With a PPO plan, you will have a wider group of providers available and you can refer yourself to specialists with out having to go to the primary care physician. PPO plans generally involve having a deductible (just like care insurance, the amount of money you pay first before the insurane kicks in) and then you pay a percentage of the costs up until a Out-of-pocket maximum. With families, some plans have caps on the Out-of-pocket, meaning that if two people on the plan meet the OOPM, then it's met for the whole family, but you want to be sure to check the policy you're buying for that info.

PPO Plans offer more flexibility, but also more responsibility. You are responsible for knowing if a doctor you're seeing is a contracted provider with your health plan, and if you have pre-authorization for services such as surgery. On an HMO plan, you can generally count on the fact that if your PCP is sending you for services, then they're authorized.

Think about how much your family uses health insurance in an AVERAGE year. You don't want to buy a plan that covers lots of office visits, if you only go to the doctor about 2 times a year. But you also most likely want coverage that will protect you if something major should happen.

I hope this information is helpful. Good luck in your search, and please let me know if you have any other questions.

Kathy K
www.premiumwatchdog.com

It depends which state you live in. Here in Ohio, you can get a great PPO plan for about $400 per month (Family of 4). Maternity would cost about $105-$300 extra).

In Pennsylvania, Aetna is your best option.

http://majormedicalhealth.com/

There is no â€œbest placeâ€ for getting health insurance or any other insurance in that matter.
Here what you should do.
Try to obtain as many possible quotes here:
http://www.healthinsurance.medgrip.com

And then check rating of Insurance Company which gives you good quote here:
http://www.ambest.com
Generally company rated AA and up is good company.
Pick the cheapest one among good rated companies.
Good luck.

Well, not all companies write in all states, and most companies have multiple plans. A family plan, with maternity coverage, with a low deductible, and comprehensive coverage, is probably going to run you about $1500 a month, with a one year wait on the maternity benefits.

IF, that is, everyone is healthy and there are no pre-existing conditions.

If someone is unhealthy, or someone has stuff wrong with them, or someone is overweight, it will either cost way more, exclude coverage for conditions, or they flat out won't take you on.

You'll have to discuss this with a local, independent agent, near you.

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