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Thursday, November 1, 2007

What types of health insurance plans are available in Vermont?

There are four basic health insurance plans available in Vermont. They are ...

1. Indemnity plans (also called fee-for-service plans). These plans pay for your doctor visits, hospital fees, and prescription drugs. You pay a monthly premium, then you pay a deductible (usually $500 to $2,000) before your insurer will pay a percentage of your medical bills (usually 80%). These are the most expensive plans because you are allowed to choose your own doctors, specialists, and hospitals.

2. Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). These plans pay for your doctor visits, hospital fees, and prescription drugs. You pay a monthly premium for which you are assigned to a network of hospitals and doctors. You pay a co-payment (usually $5 to !0) after each doctor visit. These are the cheapest plans because you must use doctors and hospitals within your network.

3. Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs). These plans pay for your doctor visits, hospital fees, and prescription drugs. Like an HMO, you are assigned to a network of doctors and hospitals. Unlike an HMO, you pay for medical services as they are rendered, and you may see non-network doctors for an additional fee. These plans are slightly more expensive than HMOs because you are not restricted to network hospitals and doctors.

4. Point-of-Service Plans (POS). These plans pay for your doctor visits, hospital fees, and prescription drugs. They are a combination of an HMO and a PPO. Like an HMO, you are assigned to a network of health care providers and must pay a co-payment when you use them. Like an PPO, you may see non-network doctors for an additional fee. These plans cost slightly more than HMOs and PPOs because you have more flexibility in managing your health care.

Where to Get Affordable Vermont Health Insurance

Getting the best rate on health insurance is a matter of comparing rates from a number of health insurance companies then choosing the cheapest one. You also want to make sure the company you choose is reliable and will give you good customer service.

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