It is important to learn about your health insurance options, so that you will know which option is right for you, your family and/or your small business. What is an HMO? HMO stands for health maintenance organization.  Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) contract with healthcare professionals and facilities, which make up a “provider network.”  With HMO insurance you typically pay a small copayment to visit a doctor or a hospital within your HMO network.  The benefit of HMO insurance is that it generally has lower premiums and copayments. A disadvantage of HMOs is that they are the least flexible type of health insurance.  This is because