Generally the employer pays for the cost of the HMO plan and then if you want a more expensive PPO plan, they take the difference from your paycheck pretax. The

Generally the employer pays for the cost of the HMO plan and then if you want a more expensive PPO plan, they take the difference from your paycheck pretax. The main difference between the 2 plans is that PPO allows you to see pretty much any doctor or specialist anytime, while HMO, you have an assigned doctor and need a referral from that doctor to see anyone else.