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HSA is only half the equation; it's a savings account that can only be drawn against tax free for qualified medical expenses. You pair it with a high deductible health plan and pay out of pocket for the minor medical expenses, and are protected against major medical expenses with the high deductible plan, which is exactly the way insurance is meant to be utilized (to protect against unlikely events that would cause financial ruin).
My first choice is HSA by far, because I am not likely to have unusually high medical expenses. Between a PPO or HMO, I'd probably lean towards an HMO if they are nearby, and primarily because they tend to have a little lower premium. I've got no experience with HMOs except I've got something similar for dental coverage, and I chose that because it was something like $2 less per month and had an office nearby. Kaiser Permanente pays their people towards the top end of the salary and have top end equipment, so it seems they put a good deal of the premium into patient treatment.
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