Earlier posts discussed what an HMO and PPO are as a way to better explain some of the acronyms used in the healthcare industry. POS is another common type of plan that many of you may have heard of and are wondering what exactly is a POS plan?
POS stands Point-of-Service Plan. Many HMOs offer an indemnity-type option known as a POS plan. The primary care doctors in a POS plan usually make referrals to other providers in the plan. In a POS plan, members can refer themselves outside the plan and still get some coverage. If the doctor makes a referral out of the network, the plan pays all or most of the bill. If you refer yourself to a provider outside the network and the service is covered by the plan, you will have to pay coinsurance.
Ruthann Russo, PhD, JD, MPH, RHIT, is a healthcare expert with more than 20 years of experience working in and advising healthcare organizations.
