Dec. 02, 2013
Once Texans enroll in the Affordable Care Act's (ACA's) insurance marketplace, they need to know the doctors and hospitals available under their health plan. In insurance lingo, this list is called a "network." What are these networks that everyone keeps talking about?
This installment of Texas Medical Association's (TMA's) "Hey, Doc" weekly education campaign answers that question and more.
TMA's 11th week of "Hey, Doc" education programming
Once I get insurance, who will take care of me? What are these "networks" everyone keeps talking about?
Insurance plans in the marketplace must contract with doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and other providers to make sure patients have access to medical care. These are the "networks" you keep hearing about. When you sign up for an insurance plan, you'll be able to pick a doctor or hospital from those networks to take care of you. But keep in mind that not all plans have the same networks, and some of them might have only a few doctors and hospitals to choose from in your area. So you'll want to do some homework before you buy insurance to make sure you can get the care you are looking for.
Here are the next two TMA "Hey, Doc" reports:
Week of Dec. 9: How do I pick a physician? Where can I find this information?
Week of Dec. 16: Can I keep my doctor or go to my neighborhood hospital when I sign up for marketplace insurance?
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation,
representing more than 47,000 physician and medical student members. It is
located in Austin and has 112 component county medical societies around the
state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.
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Contact: Pam Udall
phone:(512) 370-1382
cell: (512) 413-6807
Pam Udall
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Contact: Brent Annear
phone: (512) 370-1381
cell: (512) 656-7320
Brent Annear
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