Managed care systems are one way to fund your healthcare.
A managed care system is a form of insurance in which the insurer works with specific healthcare providers, rather than covering healthcare across the board.
Advantages
The major advantage of a managed care plan is that it can keep costs per person low. This is because it is essentially buying healthcare in bulk--by providing a large number of clients to certain doctors and hospitals, these doctors and hospitals don't have to charge each individual as much.
Types
There are three types of managed care plans--Health Maintenance Organizations, Preferred Provider Organizations and Point of Service plans. The first of these has a set group of healthcare providers available, the second has a preferred, cheaper group but will still fund a portion of outside providers, and the third lets you pay the same amount no matter whom you see. These are arranged in order from cheapest to most expensive.
Problems
The major problem with managed care plans is that it is often difficult to get emergency room treatment--some plans either bill people large amounts afterward or make them go through a phone-in diagnostic procedure before they go to the emergency room, which is time-consuming during a time when most people don't need their time consumed.
Tags: managed care, doctors hospitals, emergency room, healthcare providers