: an organization that provides comprehensive health care to voluntarily enrolled individuals and families in a particular geographic area by member physicians with limited referral to outside specialists and that is financed by fixed periodic payments determined in advance

called also health maintenance organization

Examples of HMO in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Medicare Advantage is a program that takes the money that would have been spent on you by Medicare and gives it to a private insurance company that essentially gives you private insurance coverage, often HMO or PPO. Eric Thomas, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2026 The contract extension covers about 100 patients in Cigna HMO plans in the Sacramento area, and potentially a few thousand patients covered by PPO plans, but the hospital system did not provide exact numbers. Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026 That is where, as Group Health, the idea of a cooperative, nonprofit HMO became concrete in 1957. Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 14 June 2026 The proposal offered a $2,000 ratification bonus and caps on HMO premium increases that UC said could save members up to $3,000 each year on healthcare costs. Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for HMO

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of HMO was in 1971

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“HMO.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/HMO. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

Medical Definition

plural HMOs
: an organization that provides comprehensive health care to voluntarily enrolled individuals and families in a particular geographic area by member physicians with limited referral to outside specialists and that is financed by fixed periodic payments determined in advance

called also health maintenance organization

compare ppo

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