Group Health – FAQ

"PPO" stands for Preferred Provider Organization.  This is a managed care arrangement consisting of a group of hospitals, physicians, and other providers who have contracts with an insurer to provide health care services to enrollees at a predetermined rate. PPO's also allow members to see physicians and hospitals out of the insurance company's network however, these visits will require higher out-of-pocket costs for the member.

HMO stands for Health Maintenance Organization. This is a network of health care providers, such as doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and other medical professionals. If you are a member of an HMO, you will select a primary care physician from a network directory. This person will coordinate all of your health care needs and refer you to a specialist within the HMO network.