HMOs enjoyed a significant cut in health care spending because the organizations negotiated discounts for patients because they were forced to go to particular doctors and use certain hospitals for their care.

 PPOs also negotiated discounts, and consumers began turning to them to avoid the restrictions and pre-qualification requirements patients had to endure, which made them feel like they weren’t getting the kind of care they should have.  If an HMO didn’t approve a procedure, they wouldn’t pay for it – even if your doctor recommended it.

 Senior citizens may be applauding the efforts of Congress to supplement their care with a PPO plan, but if healthcare spending continues to rise as it has historically shown that it will, seniors may not be willing to spend the additional money just for sheer flexibility in their plan.

 Until the problem is solved and lawmakers can devise a way to curb healthcare spending, seniors will have to rely on other methods of ensuring their healthcare costs are covered – such as purchasing one of the ten forms of government sponsored supplements known as Medigap A through Medigap J.

 Even if you’re not yet at the age when senior healthcare costs are of an immediate concern to you, it may be that you have to eventually take responsibility of your aging parent’s health insurance needs.