Employee group health plans, how to get reduced rates

Group health plans are probably the best way for you to save on health insurance while getting the coverage you need for yourself and your family. An employee group health plan is a way for employer's to provide health benefits to their employees at a reduced rate. The most common types of employee group health plans are managed care programs like HMOs, PPOs, or POS plans, as well as fee for service and indemnity plans. Let's take a closer look at employee group health plans and how to get reduced rates.

Managed healthcare plans are health insurance policies that help employers offer their employees reduced rates on medical insurance and services. The prices are generally negotiated ahead of time with physicians and hospitals so that each party pays a certain amount. There are a few different types of employee health plans that you can take part in at a reduced rate:

1. HMO/ Health Maintenance Organizations


2. PPO/ Preferred Provider Organizations


3. POS plans/ Point of service plans

HMOs/ Health Maintenance Organizations
A health maintenance organization plan provides employers a way to help their employees find health insurance at a reasonable price. HMOs negotiate with specific doctors, hospitals, and clinics for reduced costs to employees. In order to use an HMO and get the reduced fees you must use the specific providers on your HMO list.

PPOs/ Preferred Provider Organization
A Preferred provider organization can also provide employees with reduced costs on health insurance plans. They are somewhat similar to health maintenance organization plans but instead of having specific doctors and hospitals you are required to buy, PPO members can choose the physician of their choice; member or nonmember providers. Of course the member provider would be the least expensive choice for the employee.

POS plans/ Point of Service Plans
Employees are able to choose their own physicians among previously agreed upon services that are given at a reduced rate. In POS plans the employee would have to choose a doctor first before going to a specialist to receive treatment.

As you can see that managed care plans will vary in benefits and out of pocket expenses. In order to find the best health insurance plans you need to understand each one and choose the one that will work best for you and your family. Once you have all the information you can choose the best policy that fits your circumstance. There are several things to consider when comparing health plans are:


• Doctors. Certain health care plans require you to use their specific doctors and others do not. Make sure you are happy with the doctors on your list.


•  Specialists. If you think you need to see a specialist for something you need to make sure that it's covered under your health insurance plan. Some plans require you to see your general practitioner first and won't pay for you to see a specialist unless you go through your physician first.


•  Pre-existing conditions. This seems like a no brainer but sometimes with all the confusion of different health plans you forget to ask about pre-existing conditions. Some cover them and so do not.

Employee group health plans really are a great way to get reduced health insurance rates but you have to make sure you understand the conditions of each plan. Know exactly what your needs are and then choose a plan that fits with your circumstance.

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