Describe in detail your cost control methods as they affect your physicians and other medical care providers. Choice of Physicians. Most HMOs have formularies, which are lists of the prescription drugs approved for use by their physicians. Physicians are often pressured to prescribe only the drugs on the formulary, and in some cases pharmacies are given bonuses to switch a prescription to the cheapest drug available.
Formulary drugs can be of three types.
Access to Specialists. Give examples of each. Ask the HMO to respond with answers. Do the same with another HMO until you find one that answers your consumer concerns. When more people ask good questions and insist on answers, we'll have better consumer protection for everybody.