Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans are the most popular for individuals and families. It’s your responsibility to make sure that the health care providers you visit participate in the PPO. A PPO plan may be right for you, if:

• Your doctor already participates in the PPO
• You want to direct your own health care and can work with the predetermined preferred provider list

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans offer health care services through a network of providers who contract exclusively with the HMO or who agree to provide services to members. An HMO plan may be right for you if:

• You’re willing to coordinate your care through a primary care physician and follow the rest of the HMO guidelines
• You enjoy preventive care, such as coverage for checkups, immunizations, and similar services
   

Health Savings Accounts (HSA) eligible plans are usually PPO plans with higher deductibles, designed for use with HSAs. Similar to a flexible spending account (FSA) or 401(k), an HSA is a special bank account, which allows participants to save pre-tax money, specifically for future medical expenses. An HSA-eligible plan may be right for you if:

• You want to pay for health care expenses with pre-tax dollars
• You’re relatively healthy and don’t need lots of care or doctor visits
• You prefer a cheaper monthly premium, even if it means having a higher deductible
• You want to “roll over” your contributions each year

Indemnity plans allow members to direct their own health, visiting any doctor or hospital they like most. Because of this freedom, Indemnity plans are sometimes more expensive than other types of plans. An Indemnity plan may be right for you, if:

• You want the greatest level of freedom possible in choosing which doctors or hospitals to visit
• You don’t mind coordinating the billing and reimbursement of your claims, yourself