Basic Rules of Managed Care

If you are insured by Medicaid, covered by a union plan, or under a corporate plan provided by your employer, you are certainly under managed care. And when you signed up for your insurance, you agreed to the terms of managed care. While all that legalese and small print can be hard to understand, they are still the rules you need to abide by. To guide you, here are some of the most basic rules of managed care:

* Doctors, hospitals, and clinics
To make managed care work for you, stick to doctors, hospitals, and clinics that are within your insurance provider's network. Insurance providers often provide directories of these institutions within their network. For online healthcare, it is best to call to ensure coverage.

* Specialists
For managed care, it is best to get a referral from a primary care physician within your network before approaching a specialist. Without a referral, you may have to pay more for the care you received from a specialist.

* Expensive services
If you are about to undergo an expensive lab test or procedure, have your insurance provider approve it beforehand. Going ahead without their okay can leave you with a huge bill.

By: Kristine Gonzaga