/>A health problem that existed before the date your health insurance became effective.
Premium
The amount you or your employer pays in exchange for health insurance coverage. Primary Care Doctor
Usually your first contact for health care. This is often a family physician or internist, but some women use their gynecologist. A primary care doctor monitors your health and diagnoses and treats minor health problems, and refers you to specialists if another level of care is needed. In many health insurance plans, care by specialists is only paid for if your are referred by your primary care doctor. An HMO or a POS plan will provide you with a list of doctors from which you will choose your primary care doctor (usually a family physician, internists, obstetrician-gynecologist, or pedicatrician). This could mean you might have to choose a new primary care doctor if your current one does not belong to the plan. PPOs allow members to use primary care doctors outside the PPO network (at a higher cost). Indemnity plans allow any doctor to be used. Provider
Any person (doctor, nurse, dentist) or institution (hospital or clinic) that provides medical care.
Third-Party Payer
Any payer for health care services other than you. This can be an insurance company, an HMO, a PPO, or the Federal Government
Leave a Reply