An HMO, almost always. You give up some freedom to choose doctors, and the plan costs less in return.
The twist in Colorado is that the choice may not be yours to make. If you buy your own plan, most of what’s for sale is HMO or EPO. PPOs are hard to find for individuals and families here, and they show up much more often in plans you get through an employer. Our page on health plans in Denver shows what’s typical around the metro area.
So for a lot of Coloradans the real comparison is HMO or EPO.
HMO. You use the plan’s network, and seeing a specialist normally starts with a referral.
EPO. You still have to stay in the network, but you can usually see a specialist without a referral.
PPO. You can go outside the network and pay more when you do. It costs the most, when you can find one.
In the mountains, the plan type matters less than the network. A cheap plan isn’t cheap if the nearest covered hospital is two hours away, so check where your doctors and the closest hospital stand before you look at price.
If you’re on Medicare, the answer works a little differently, which we covered in Medicare Advantage plan types.