City of Lynn

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC) provides medical coverage, while Maxor provides your prescription drug coverage. The employee contribution rates for employees is 25% for the HMO plans and 30% for the PPO plans.

HMO – HMO stands for Health Maintenance Organization. HMOs have their own network of doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers who have agreed to accept payment at a certain level for any services they provide. This allows the HMO to offer a lower monthly premium. With an HMO, you must see your Primary Care Physician to obtain a referral to an in-network doctor.

PPO – PPO stands for Preferred Provider Organization. Just like an HMO, a PPO plan offers a network of healthcare providers you can use for your medical care. A PPO does not require you to choose a Primary Care Physician and it offers you the freedom to receive care from any provider, both in and out of your network. While PPOs offer more choices when it comes to your healthcare, your monthly premiums and copays will be higher.