PPOs, Preferred Provider Organizations, are groups of hospitals and/or physicians who, directly or through a third party, develop contractual arrangements with payers to provide a specified set of health care services under defined financial arrangements. EPOs, Exclusive Provider Organizations, are similar to PPOs in their organization and purpose. Unlike PPOs, however, EPOs limit their beneficiaries to participating providers for their health care services.

EPO and PPO members are not required to select a PCP to coordinate their care but we recommend that you establish a relationship with your physician. All preventive services must be received from an affiliated, in-network provider.

Bernardo Guarachi, age 45, has made history by becoming the first Bolivian to reach the top of Mount Everest. But from a medical point of view, his achievement has a much higher significance. Bernardo is the best known mountain guide in Bolivia. He has summited Illimani (6490 m), 170 times and of course all the other important mountains in Bolivia and South America including Aconcagua, Chile (6959 m), with no supplementary oxygen.

In an HMO, the insured's choice of doctors and hospitals is limited to those that have agreements with the HMO to provide care. Exceptions are made in emergencies and when medically necessary. In contrast, an insured in a PPO can use doctors who are not part of the plan and still receive some coverage. In such cases, the insured will pay a larger portion of the bill him/herself and will have to fill out some claim forms.

No, you and your dependents must enroll in the same medical plan. (Exception: If you and your spouse are both employed full-time by Enterprise, each may enroll separately and into different plans.)

How you enroll will vary based on your employer. Please contact your employer's benefits office for additional direction or Member Services at the Pre-Enrollment Hot Line at 1-800-722-BLUE (2583) for assistance. You may be eligible for other benefits programs, like dental, prescription drugs, or even flexible spending. Who administers these programs varies based on your employer.

UK-PPO and UK-PPO "High" are both preferred provider organization health plans (PPO). The differences between the plans are the premiums, deductibles, copayments and coinsurances that apply for each plan. The UK-PPO High will have a higher premium and higher benefits, such as a lower copayment for physician office visits, a lower deductible and lower coinsurance when compared to the UK-PPO. PPO plans offer coverage for both in-network and out-of-network providers.

We are contracted with selected insurance plan networks, and may add more over time, but it is not feasible for us to be contracted with every patient's insurer. Some insurers impose restrictions on pricing that are based on volume rather that quality of service; while larger healthcare provider groups may be able to offer care at volume rates -- seeing 25-30 patients per day -- we are not able or willing to do so.

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.

Simply go to our online dentist directory to search for a conveniently located dentist near your home or office. You may also locate a specific dentist by entering his/her last name in the search form.

A Preferred Provider Organization is a form of managed care closest to an indemnity plan. A PPO negotiates arrangements with doctors, hospitals and other providers who accept lower fees from the insurer for their services. As a result, your cost-sharing will be lower than if you go outside the network of providers.