Healthcare Glossary
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
A health insurance plan that limits coverage to care from providers (generalists and specialists) who are part of a specific network (they work for or contract with the plan). These plans often focus on prevention and wellness. Under an HMO, all access to specialists and hospitalization must be facilitated through the member's Primary Care Physician (PCP).
High Deductible Plan (HDP)
A plan that usually has lower premiums and a high deductible – where you pay all of your healthcare costs until you meet your deductible and then the insurer pays a portion of your costs. This is usually combined with a health savings account (HSA). A high deductible plan may be an HMO, POS, PPO, or EPO plan.
High-Risk Pool Plan
Health insurance plans offered to individuals who have been locked out of the individual insurance market because of a pre-existing condition. Premiums for these plans can be up to twice as much as a healthy individual would pay for individual coverage.