Short answer: No. HMO and most POS plans require a primary care physician’s referral to see a specialist; PPO and EPO plans generally let you go directly to an in-network specialist.
Referral rules depend on the plan type. HMOs (and usually POS plans) route specialist care through your primary care physician, who must issue a referral for the plan to cover it. PPOs and EPOs typically let you self-refer to any in-network specialist without that step. So if direct specialist access matters to you, a PPO or EPO avoids the referral requirement, at a higher premium in the PPO’s case.