A PPO, or Preferred Provider Organization, is a type of insurance plan that is very popular in the individual and family health insurance markets. The following are some of the advantages of the PPO plan: you are permitted to see any doctor in the network without a referral; PPO networks are larger than HMOs; you may choose a specialist directly without going through a PCP; you have the opportunity to make more of your own healthcare decisions; you can choose to be admitted to any hospital or facility. A disadvantage of the PPO plan is that any doctor or health care facility not in the network would have an increased cost to the consumer. An HMO, or Health Maintenance Organization, plan requires the choice of a primary care physician for your
