PPO

• A preferred provider organization is a type of health plan in which you can choose your own doctor without having to select or designate a primary care physician. The primary advantage of the PPO system is that you do not have to get a referral from a primary care physician to see another doctor. In Texas, Aetna's PPO plans offer two coverage levels depending on the doctor you visit. The PPO insurance pays one rate for doctors listed the Aetna directory as part of the PPO plan. The insurance pays a lower rate should you opt to visit a doctor outside of the PPO network.
  
  

HSA

• A health savings account is an account offered by many financial institutions that you can use in combination with compatible health insurance policies. You can deposit money into an HSA on a tax-deferred basis. This means you can deposit money into the HSA that you have not paid tax on. You can only use funds deposited into an HSA for medical reasons. If you use the funds for any other reason, you will have to pay both tax on the funds and a penalty. HSA options from Aetna allow you to use funds in your HSA to pay for eligible medical expenses, deductibles and co-payments not covered by your Texas Aetna health insurance policy.
  
  

Preventive Health Insurance Plan

• This is an ideal health insurance plan for individuals who only require basic health protection. This plan offers a significantly reduced premium. This limited option does cover annual exams, hospital stays, outpatient surgery and some home health care. With this plan, you have the freedom to choose recognized health care professionals, including specialists, for covered expenses.
  
  

Deductibles and Co-Payments

• When selecting a Aetna health insurance plan, you will need to choose deductible and co-payment levels. A deductible is the amount of money you will have to pay out of pocket annually before Aetna will pay on an insurance claim. A co-payment is an amount of money you will have to pay every time you use the insurance. Generally, the higher the deductible and co-payment, the lower the annual premium of the insurance policy.