Final answer:
The health plan that allows employees the choice to see providers outside of the network at a higher cost is a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). PPOs offer more flexibility compared to HMOs, EPOs, and POS plans where access to non-network providers is either restricted or more costly.
Step-by-step explanation:
The health plan in which employees have the option to receive care from health care providers outside the designated network and pay more for the choice is the Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). This type of health insurance plan offers flexibility to patients in choosing their healthcare providers. While Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans usually require patients to select a primary care provider and get referrals to see specialists within a network, PPOs allow patients to see any healthcare provider they wish, but at a higher out-of-pocket cost when going outside the network.
Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO) plans are similar to HMOs and typically don’t cover services outside the network except in an emergency. Finally, Point of Service (POS) plans are a type of managed care plan that combines features of both HMO and PPO plans.