Insurance companies maintain networks primarily to control and predict costs. Rather than pay a doctor's bill for a particular service, insurance companies create networks in which providers agree to accept a reduced payment (the “allowable payment”). There are 15 different dentists in town who all accept variations of my insurance, but not mine specifically with exception to one and health insurance is equally as dicey (by variations, I mean . Out of network, should honestly just be illegal. It does little to protect the insuree