Definition: Government mandated program providing coverage, disability income, and vocational rehabilitation for injuries sustained in the work place or in the course of employment. Employers may either self-fund the program, purchase commercial coverage, or pay a premium to a government entity that administers the program. Employees may be required to pay premiums toward the cost of coverage as well.

Managed care policies specifically exclude coverage for losses insured under a disability policy, workers' compensation program, liability insurance (including automobile insurance); or for medical expenses, coverage for on-site medical clinics or for limited dental or vision benefits when these are provided under a separate policy.

Discussion: Managed care policies are offered by managed care plans that contract with selected providers or health care organizations to provide comprehensive health care at a discount to covered parties and coordinate the financing and delivery of health care. Managed care uses medical protocols and procedures agreed on by the medical profession to be cost effective, also known as medical practice guidelines. Providers are typically reimbursed for covered services by a capitated amount on a per member per month basis that may reflect difference in the health status and level of services anticipated to be needed by the member.

Definition: A policy for a health plan that has features of both an HMO and a FFS plan. Like an HMO, a POS plan encourages the use its HMO network to maintain discounted fees with participating providers, but recognizes that sometimes covered parties want to choose their own provider. The POS plan allows a covered party to use providers who are not part of the HMO network (non-participating providers). However, there is a greater cost associated with choosing these non-network providers. A covered party will usually pay deductibles and coinsurances that are substantially higher than the payments when he or she uses a plan provider. Use of non-participating providers often requires the covered party to pay the provider directly and then to file a claim for reimbursement, like in an FFS plan.

Definition: A policy for a health plan that provides coverage for health care only through contracted or employed physicians and hospitals located in particular geographic or service areas. HMOs emphasize prevention and early detection of illness. Eligibility to enroll in an HMO is determined by where a covered party lives or works.

Definition: A network-based, managed care plan that allows a covered party to choose any health care provider. However, if care is received from a "preferred" (participating in-network) provider, there are generally higher benefit coverage and lower deductibles.