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why international services?
Health Maintenance Organization: HMOs are healthcare systems that manage both the financing and delivery of a broad range of healthcare services to a specific group of people. HMOs contain costs by focusing on prevention and primary care. In general, your medical care is coordinated and supervised by your Primary Care Physician, who must also authorize access to specialists. Coverage is usually limited outside the HMO service area, unless it is an emergency situation.
Preferred Provider Organization Plans (PPOs): In this type of managed care plan, providers (hospitals, physicians and other healthcare practitioners) agree to provide services at negotiated fees. You are allowed to go to out-of-network providers, but you receive greater benefits if you stay within the network. For example, the plan may pay benefits at 80 percent within the network, but would reduce payment to 60 percent if you see a non-PPO provider. Generally, you have direct access to specialists, but there are some PPO plans that require you to obtain a referral from a primary care physician (PCP).
Point of Service Plans (POS): POS plans combine features of both HMO and PPO plans. You can choose how you access the plan each time you need treatment. If you choose to use the HMO network, your PCP coordinates care, and your out-of-pocket costs are minimal. If you choose to go outside the HMO network for care, you may select your physician, but you will have to pay higher deductible and coinsurance charges.
A physician, such as a general practioner or Internist chosen by an individual to serve as his or her health-care professional and capable of handling a variety of health-related problems, of keeping a medical history and medical records on the individual, and of referring the person to specialists as needed.
