Does a Blue Shield PPO have fewer providers than an HMO?

A Blue Shield PPO plan generally has more providers for consumers to choose from than an HMO policy. This is due to the fact that a PPO plan provides coverage for out-of-network providers, while an HMO policy does not.

A PPO policy also gives consumers the ability to seek out medical services from a specialist without a referral from their primary care physician. This also increases the number of service providers consumers with a PPO plan have to choose from, as they can select any specialist who is covered by their policy. With an HMO plan, the consumer is limited to the specialist who was recommended by the primary care physician.