Why do i need to make a dr's appointment just to get a referral to an obgyn?

Not needed unless...: One can go to see an Ob-Gyn doctor without a referral unless one has a restrictive insurance plan such as an HMO or a POS plan that requires a referral. If one has a PPO plan, a referral is almost never needed unless one has a rare, restrictive plan that requires a referral. For better insurance coverage (less out-of-pocket costs), one should see an Ob-Gyn doctor inside her insurance plan network.