Under the staff model of an HMO, the physicians who treat members are:
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
In a staff-model HMO, the plan hires physicians directly as salaried employees and typically delivers care in HMO-owned clinics and facilities. Because the doctors are on the HMO's payroll rather than being paid fee-for-service, the plan exercises strong control over utilization, treatment protocols, and overall costs. This model is one of the classic HMO delivery arrangements tested on the A&H exam. The alternative group model contracts with a multi-specialty medical group, and the IPA model contracts with independent physician practices. The staff model's defining feature is the employment relationship between the HMO and its physicians.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) Physicians who contract independently with multiple HMOs describe the IPA model or the group model, where the plan buys care from outside practices. In the staff model the doctors are on the HMO's own payroll and serve its members in its own facilities.
- C) HMO members receive covered services through the plan's contracted delivery system and pay only applicable copays; they are not billed directly by staff physicians with a claim for reimbursement from the member.
- D) HMO physicians are private professionals hired by the health plan. The state licensing board licenses physicians but does not employ them or assign them to work for particular health plans.
Memory hook
Staff model = doctors on the HMO's payroll; group model = contracted clinic; IPA = loose network.