PPO  
(Preferred Provider Organization)

Non-PPO 
(Non-Preferred Provider Organization)

Who to use?

You receive care from 'preferred providers' - doctors, hospitals and other treatment centers that have a contract with the Fund to provide services to Fund participants. These providers agree to accept specific fees. 

You may receive care from any licensed doctor, hospital or treatment center you wish, unless the care is specifically excluded from coverage or the benefit is "PPO only".

How to decide?

In most cases, care received from a preferred provider will cost you less than care received from other providers and the Fund has many provider to choose from.

If you have a doctor you really like, and the doctor is not a preferred provider, you can still use the doctor. However, you will have more out of pocket.

Cost to you?

Some Fund benefits are only covered if you use a PPO provider.

Your benefits will go further, and the cost to you will usually be much lower, when you use the PPO Plan.

If the care is for a service only covered under our PPO plan, you will pay all the charges.

Your cost will probably much be higher than if you use a preferred provider.