Small Business Health Insurance: Understanding Health Insurance Categories

Small business health insurance is vital for the well-being of you and your employees. Hanneken Insurance Agency Inc. can help you navigate this process and make the right choice for your Little Falls, MN team.

Categories of Healthcare Plans

Choosing the right plan can be daunting, but understanding the basic categories can simplify the process. Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) offer great flexibility in choosing healthcare providers, while Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) can be more cost-effective but limit choice. Other options like Point of Service (POS) and Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO) plans sit in between.

  • Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs): These plans offer significant flexibility when choosing healthcare providers. They do not require referrals from primary care physicians to see specialists; they provide coverage both in and out of their network. However, the coverage is usually greater when using in-network providers.
  • Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs): These are typically more cost-effective than PPOs but limit the choice of healthcare providers to those within the HMO network. They require referrals from a primary care doctor to see a specialist. Out-of-network care is usually not covered, except in emergencies.
  • Point of Service (POS): These plans are a hybrid of HMO and PPO plans. They require you to choose a primary care provider within the network but also provide some coverage for out-of-network care. Referrals are typically needed to see specialists.
  • Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO): These plans provide a network of providers to choose from, like PPOs. However, they do not cover out-of-network care (unless in an emergency), similar to HMOs. They also do not require referrals to see specialists.

Navigating the complexities of small business health insurance in Little Falls, MN can be challenging. Hanneken Insurance Agency Inc. is here to help.