A patient with an HMO insurance plan needs to see a specialist. From which person should the patient obtain a referral?

• A. Primary care provider
• B. Specialist
• C. Insurance company
• D. Hospital administrator

Answer: (A)

In an HMO, the primary care provider acts as the gatekeeper and coordinates all care, including referrals to specialists. To see a specialist, you generally must obtain a referral from the PCP first. This ensures the specialist visit is medically necessary and aligns with the plan’s coordinated-care approach, and it helps ensure the visit is covered by the insurance. If you skip this step, the plan may not cover the visit, and you could be held responsible for the cost. The specialist, insurance company, or hospital administrator do not typically issue referrals in this setup, and emergencies may allow seeing a specialist without a prior referral.