How to Compare Tufts Health Plans
Comparing Tufts health plans is made quite simple by the Tufts website, which provides information on each health plan as well as variations within a health plan. Whether you are already a Tufts health plan customer, or a potential new customer wondering what the differences are and which plan may be best, this information is readily available through Tufts. They also have a full page of FAQs addressing reasons why someone might prefer joining Tufts for health care.
Instructions
Visit the Tufts Health Plan site (see Resources) and click on "Members" among the tabs on the first page. Even if you are not yet a member, this is the way to find the information for comparing the health plans.
Click on "How Your Plan Works" from the left navigation menu. There are three main types of Tufts plans: Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), and Point-of-Service Option (POS). The HMO plan has two subtypes: Advantage HMO and Advantage HMO Saver. The PPO plan has three subtypes: Advantage PPO with co-payments, Advantage PPO with coinsurance, and Advantage PPO Saver. The POS plan has no subtypes.
Click on the plans, one at a time, and review the information for each. It can be helpful to make notes for comparison later, if a side-by-side comparison is necessary. Take note of differences between the plans within a plan, such as the differences between Advantage PPO with co-payments and Advantage PPO with coinsurance. As an Advantage PPO member, the basic plan is the same for each, but with the coinsurance option you are responsible for a certain percentage of covered medical costs.