Important Considerations: Choosing a Medical Plan

All four types cover the same kinds of services, but the way they pay benefits is different.

Key Decision Points:

	Access to Care	How you pay for care	Insurance premiums (payroll deductions)**
Standard HMO	Use network providers to receive benefits	Set dollar copays for more predictable costs	Higher
Health Investor HMO	Use network providers to receive benefits	Annual deductible* and percentage of cost	Lower
Standard PPO	See network or non-network providers … your share of cost is lower when you use the network	Set dollar copays for more predictable costs for some network care. A percentage of cost - or annual deductible and percentage of cost for other care	Higher
Health Investor PPO	See network or non-network providers … your share of cost is lower when you use the network	Annual deductible* and percentage of cost	Lower

*With single coverage, you must meet the individual deductible before anything but preventive care is covered. With family coverage, you must meet the family deductible before plan pays for anything but specified preventive care services.
**For those employees' who pay premiums for coverage - including state Career Service employees' and University Faculty, Staff and Administrative and Professional Employees'.

Use the highlights for the Standard PPO, the Standard HMOs, the Health Investor PPO and the Health Investor HMO to help you understand key differences in how the four types of plans work.

For more information, view both the Standard and Health Investor PPO Medical Plan benefit document or the individual HMO's certificates of coverage (available from the HMOs).
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Many doctors, specialists and other healthcare providers participate in several different networks.

• Look at the Benefits Statement you'll receive in your enrollment package in late September to see which health plans are available in your geographic area. Then go to the Web sites for those plan administrators to find out what doctors and hospitals are in the network. The chart below includes web links and easy step-by-step instructions to help make your search easier.
• Keep in mind that health providers are subject to change at any time without notice, and that you cannot change plans because a provider leaves the network.

Health Plan	Instructions
BlueCross BlueShield (Standard and Health Investor PPO)	1. Click Find a Doctor 2. Select BlueChoice (Preferred Patient Care PPO) as the plan type
AvMed	Click Online Provider Directory
Capital Health Plan	Click Doctors
Florida Health Care Plans	1. Click Providers 2. Click Find a Provider
UnitedHealthcare	1. Click Find Physicians and Facilities 2. Select UnitedHealthcare HMO or United Healthcare Health Investor Health Plan
VISTA Healthplans	1. Use the "Find a …" search near the top left, select physician and click "Go" 2. Select VHP-Vista Healthplan as your plan

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Be sure to use the online Medical Plan Cost Estimator to compare your overall cost for medical care. It adds up:

• your estimated out-of-pocket costs for care – based on the types of care you anticipate using
• your cost for coverage … giving you an apples-to-apples comparison of your total cost that can help you see which plan offers you the most favorable financial picture...

Coverage costs are also listed on the Benefit Statement in the enrollment package you receive.

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The Health Savings Account, Medical Reimbursement Account and Limited Purpose Medical Reimbursement Account all offer a tax advantage by allowing you to set aside pre-tax dollars for eligible healthcare expenses. And the Health Savings Account (available when you enroll in one of the Health Investor Health Plans) offers more – including state contributions to your account and a carryforward of any unused HSA account balance from year-to-year. If you have deductibles, copayments or coinsurance to pay, consider funding them through these accounts – tax free!

	If you enroll in a Health Investor HMO or PPO and have no other medical coverage	If you enroll in the Standard PPO or a Standard HMO
You may enroll in	Health Savings Account (HSA) - for eligible medical, dental and vision expenses …funded by voluntary contributions from you, if you enroll in the HSA and complete the HSA Application and Disclosure Package located on the People First Web site Limited Purpose Medical Reimbursement Account is available to set aside pre-tax money to pay covered dental and vision expenses	No Health Savings Account available Medical Reimbursement Account is available to set aside pre-tax money to pay medical, dental and vision deductibles, copayments, coinsurance and such
Points to note	HSA balance earns interest and you may have the opportunity to decide how it is invested Unused HSA balance carries forward year-to-year; portable if you leave Unused Limited Purpose Medical Reimbursement Account balances are forfeited if you do not use them by the end of the year – but the state has added a grace period to make things easier!	Unused Medical Reimbursement Account balances are forfeited if you do not use them by the end of the year – but the state has added a grace period to make things easier!

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• Take into account everything you've considered in Steps 1 - 4. When you have completed this process, you may be ready to enroll. You can do so between September 22, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern and October 17, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern.

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