HMO membership drops

We’ve learned that more and more Missouri workers have healthcare coverage these days. And many of those newly-insured are not covered by health maintenance organizations. They are being covered by preferred provider organizations. Randy McConnell of the Missouri Department of Insurance says there’s a willingness on the part of both employers and employees to pay the added costs associated with PPO’s, so they can avoid the limitations of HMO’s. HMO membership dropped by 42,000 last year. It comes at a time when the health insurance groups increased premiums by 13%.