[BiggieJ]

so i need some health insurance for me and my fiancee. but we dont know much about health insurance, so we need some help. im pretty sure im going to stick with Blue Shield (not kieser) and need to know the pro and cons of HMO's and PPO's. ive read the website but i need to know real life opinions. and anything you guys reccomend? thanks in adavnce.

BTW right now im leaning towards Blue Shield Spectrum PPO 2000.
https://www.blueshieldca.com/bsc/fin...SSEZNF5XDCEITT

[Couch]

Thes sites may help you out a little more.

http://www.insurance.com/FAQs/health...l.aspx/index/7

http://healthinsurance.about.com/od/...a/hmovsppo.htm

http://www.insurelane.com/health/hmo-vs-ppo.html

I would first decide based upon cost per income. If you can afford it, being able to choose any doctor rather than being restricted is rather nice.

[UncleWede]

PPO is SO much better. Example: I *mistakenly* let my wife drive the sled on NYE. She tried to stop us by putting her feet in the snow, instead of the brakes. MCL is strained pretty bad on both knees, or so the SINGLE MRI shows (insurance wouldn't approve MRI on both knees) So she got a script for a special knee brace, like linemen wear. Ortho could only llok at teh right knee *OFFICIALLY* but told us both were the same. We had to go back to the primary Dr. and convince him to write another script but just make it the left knee.
THEN she went to the place to get fitted for the brace, but insurance had not approved it yet, so we had to get on both Dr.s to send in forms, then FINALLY last Friday she got approval for the brace, and has an appointment on Thursday to get her brace.
So, something that with a PPO would have taken maybe 7 days including the fitting of the brace, will end up taking 25.
Yeah, it only cost us $60 for Dr. visits, and I think only $20 for each brace. PPO we would pay 10% of costs, probably.