This plan is not an HMO or PPO. There are no restrictions on which doctors you may see. You have the freedom to select the doctors and hospitals of your choice.

For Additional Savings* - You can reduce your medical bills by using the doctors and hospitals participating in PHCS Healthy Directions. Simply call PHCS at 1-800-357-6847 or visit them on the web at www.phcs.com to verify that your doctor or hospital is part of the PHCS Network. When using the web, click on "Find a Provider", then "Start New Search". Under Step #2, choose Healthy Directions/Access Advantage from the drop down menu.

Yes, many. But once again, the further north, the fewer there are. South Africa has many private hospitals, excellent specialists and state of the art equipment and facilities, including emergency rescue and air ambulance. Government facilities are overcrowded.

The primary difference is that HMOs limit your non-emergency health care coverage to a limited network of physicians and hospitals. PPO plans insure covered services delivered by any licensed physician or hospital, though a PPO plan will offer improved benefits if you use physicians and hospitals participating in the PPO's preferred network. PPO networks are normally much larger than HMO networks, though HMOs provide higher benefit levels.

Please look at our Hospitals and Doctors page. All treating hospitals are international-standard medical facilities. They all have dedicated heart centers that offer extensive services to cardiac patients.

There are some very competent doctors in Puerto Vallarta. Many speak English. Check with your hotel for the name of an English-speaking doctor, write the phone number down and carry it with you. If there is any doubt in your mind about a doctor, procedure or medication, check with your doctor at home, if possible. Medical service here is not as sophisticated as in the U.S. or Canada. There are a few English speaking doctors listed (not necessarily recommended) on the Emergency Information page.

Doctors and hospitals should continue to report clusters of illness that may occur to their local public health officials. Doctors and hospital staff should be aware of the first signs or symptoms of illness that could be related to a bioterrorism incident and be prepared to report possible cases immediately through their local public health officials.

Unless your plan requires you use a PPO provider, you can use any licensed physician or hospital. (See reference to PPO plans above)

Consider what is most important to you in a health plan: cost, availability and location of providers, or freedom to see any doctor. If you like the physician you are currently seeing, check to see if he or she is a provider in the plan that you are considering. If you or a dependent has special medical needs, check that the plan you are considering has adequate medical services and providers for that specialty.

Note: This chart is only meant to quickly help you identify the differences between the HIP plans we currently offer. For a comprehensive and detailed listing of medical services that are covered, please refer to the summary of benefits provided online. Please follow this link in order to view the chart. Don't sue us! Fractured Atlas is not an insurance company. We're also not lawyers, brokers, agents, doctors, or anyone else qualified to give professional advice.

Most HMOs require you to select a specific doctor as your primary care physician, or PCP. This doctor is supposed to be your first "port-of-call" for most any medical condition, although exceptions are typically made for emergencies. As such, he or she will end up providing most of your medical care.

HMO is a Health Maintenance Organization, which requires you to select a primary care doctor who helps you manage your health care needs. A PPO is a Preferred Provider Organization, which allows you to select any doctor within the network at the time of service without having to first identify a specific primary care provider. It allows for greater freedom of choice.

If you visit a provider in another State, and the provider is an in-network provider for Blue Cross of that State, you should receive the same level of benefits as when visiting an in-network provider within NC. If the doctor or hospital is not a network provider, then you would receive out-of-network benefits.

You should expect some sickness, as your body adjusts to a new environment. You will need to look after yourself, and to ask local people for help. There are doctors and a hospital in Changsha, and both western and traditional Chinese medicines are widely available in the urban areas. As a WorldTeach volunteer you will have health insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation insurance. For medical expenses such as doctor's visits, medicines, etc.