POS vs. PPO Plans: Simple Comparison

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations. Benefit design is a term that refers to health plan rules about which doctors are in or out of the provider network and how much you’ll share in the cost when you get medical care. It’s a key factor when you’re comparing health insurance plans. Point of service (POS) and preferred provider organization (PPO) plans are two types of benefit designs, along with health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and exclusive provider organization (EPOs).If you’re choosing between POS and PPO plans, you’ll want an understanding of the benefits, costs and limitations for each type of health insurance plan.What Is POS insurance?A POS health insurance plan offers some of the flexibility found in a PPO, coupled with limitations found in health maintenance organization (HMO) and exclusive provider organization (EPO) plans.A POS plan requires that you name a primary car...