Comments on: Patients still want choice: PPOs are eclipsing HMOs http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/patients-still-want-choice-ppos-are.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/patients-still-want-choice-ppos-are.html#comment-69019 Anonymous Wed, 22 Nov 2006 15:22:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/11/patients-still-want-choice-ppos-are-eclipsing-hmos.html#comment-69019 Perhaps another reason is that a lot of physicians have opted out of participating in HMO's. As long as my schedule is full without having to deal with an HMO, why should I bother with them? A single payor system would be an entirely different story. Most physicians would participate out of economic necessity - like Medicare. Lack of choice would not be an issue. Perhaps another reason is that a lot of physicians have opted out of participating in HMO’s. As long as my schedule is full without having to deal with an HMO, why should I bother with them? A single payor system would be an entirely different story. Most physicians would participate out of economic necessity – like Medicare. Lack of choice would not be an issue.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/patients-still-want-choice-ppos-are.html#comment-68999 Anonymous Wed, 22 Nov 2006 01:21:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/11/patients-still-want-choice-ppos-are-eclipsing-hmos.html#comment-68999 Our employer offers HMO and PPO. We pay more than double the premium for PPO and we're grateful to have the choice. Much larger pool of primary care physicians, much easier to get referrals & procedures approved. Better overall benefits including lots of off label stuff like chiro, accupuncture, massage, discounts for health clubs, OTC products like vitamins, etc. Lots of local doctors don't even accept HMO patients anymore. Our employer offers HMO and PPO. We pay more than double the premium for PPO and we’re grateful to have the choice. Much larger pool of primary care physicians, much easier to get referrals & procedures approved. Better overall benefits including lots of off label stuff like chiro, accupuncture, massage, discounts for health clubs, OTC products like vitamins, etc. Lots of local doctors don’t even accept HMO patients anymore.

]]> By: Diorahttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/patients-still-want-choice-ppos-are.html#comment-68998 Diora Wed, 22 Nov 2006 01:19:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/11/patients-still-want-choice-ppos-are-eclipsing-hmos.html#comment-68998 I switched from an HMO to a PPO a couple of years ago. My company stopped offering the HMO I used. That HMO had a wide network that included virtually every medical group in the area and had some out-of-network coverage. The only HMOs that were left had no out-of-network coverage and fewer participating doctors. The cost was the main reason my company stopped offering HMOs with wide networks; so I guess HMOs aren't that cheap. <br/><br/> Having a choice to find a really good specialist in case it ever becomes necessary is important to me. But even without it, just not having to get referrals is convenient as it saves time. <br/><br/> 20% in-network/30% out-of-network is certainly higher than what I used to pay, but it is well worth the choice. I switched from an HMO to a PPO a couple of years ago. My company stopped offering the HMO I used. That HMO had a wide network that included virtually every medical group in the area and had some out-of-network coverage. The only HMOs that were left had no out-of-network coverage and fewer participating doctors. The cost was the main reason my company stopped offering HMOs with wide networks; so I guess HMOs aren’t that cheap.

Having a choice to find a really good specialist in case it ever becomes necessary is important to me. But even without it, just not having to get referrals is convenient as it saves time.

20% in-network/30% out-of-network is certainly higher than what I used to pay, but it is well worth the choice.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/patients-still-want-choice-ppos-are.html#comment-68987 Anonymous Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:36:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/11/patients-still-want-choice-ppos-are-eclipsing-hmos.html#comment-68987 This proves nothing about patient preference. Companies don't consult their employees about what health care insurance options will be offered. Two years ago I had an HMO and was fine with it. Last year our coverage changed to only one option, a PPO. It's fine, and I'm frankly just thrilled to have health insurance in this day and age, but it wasn't a personal choice. This proves nothing about patient preference. Companies don’t consult their employees about what health care insurance options will be offered. Two years ago I had an HMO and was fine with it. Last year our coverage changed to only one option, a PPO. It’s fine, and I’m frankly just thrilled to have health insurance in this day and age, but it wasn’t a personal choice.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/patients-still-want-choice-ppos-are.html#comment-68982 Anonymous Tue, 21 Nov 2006 21:46:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/11/patients-still-want-choice-ppos-are-eclipsing-hmos.html#comment-68982 Once upon a time, I had an HMO, and I chose to go outside of them for my wisdom teeth removal even though I had the same doctor with or without the HMO (I went to his private practice instead of to the HMO clinic). The reason? The HMO clinic was amazingly poorly run, to the point where all of the back and forth and running around I had to do with them made me cry. In addition, they were requiring all sorts of additional proceedures completely unnecessary to the removal of my wisdom teeth. Given how the clinic was run, I don't understand how HMO's save money, except by convincing people that getting necessary proceedures isn't worth the hassle of dealing with them. All in all, it was the worst medical experience of my life, and I spent over a year in Ecuador where I had frequent contact with their medical system. Once upon a time, I had an HMO, and I chose to go outside of them for my wisdom teeth removal even though I had the same doctor with or without the HMO (I went to his private practice instead of to the HMO clinic). The reason? The HMO clinic was amazingly poorly run, to the point where all of the back and forth and running around I had to do with them made me cry. In addition, they were requiring all sorts of additional proceedures completely unnecessary to the removal of my wisdom teeth. Given how the clinic was run, I don’t understand how HMO’s save money, except by convincing people that getting necessary proceedures isn’t worth the hassle of dealing with them. All in all, it was the worst medical experience of my life, and I spent over a year in Ecuador where I had frequent contact with their medical system.

]]> By: Vicki Smallhttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/patients-still-want-choice-ppos-are.html#comment-68980 Vicki Small Tue, 21 Nov 2006 21:33:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/11/patients-still-want-choice-ppos-are-eclipsing-hmos.html#comment-68980 We've just made the switch, effective 12/1. We’ve just made the switch, effective 12/1.

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