Buying individual health insurance plans can be a nerve-wracking experience if you have to wade through the maze of companies offering affordable individual health policies. The inflating medical expenses are terrifying enough if you are self-employed, or, working in a small company. Even if the companies provide health coverage, youll find that the options are limited and it is best that you buy individual health coverage.

Buying health coverage policies can be like walking on a tight rope, as you need to perform a balancing act between coverage and the cost of the plan.

Individual health plans can be categorized into two categories- managed care plans and indemnity plans.

Managed Care Health Plans are cheaper than indemnity plans. You can go for these if you have no objections to restricting your choice of service providers to the doctors covered by the network. Another catch is you will have to play by the rules of the health network to the extent that even your choice of a specialist will require the approval of your service provider. That said, a managed care health plan is a good option if you want to reduce the cost of an individual health policy. Choice is something that you will need to sacrifice if you decide to buy this plan.

Indemnity Plans are traditional health plans and are certainly more expensive than managed care health plans. The positive aspect here is that you retain the choice of choosing your health provider. The plan is best for the people who are frequently ill and depend only on their trusted doctor or hospital for their treatment. Also, this plan involves no monthly premiums and you pay the doctor only at the time of the visit. On the flip side, this plan is expensive if you want to cover your family members as well.

Once you have decided upon the plan, compare a few individual policies to assess their coverage. The best way to do this is to get online quotes. Check for the coverage options and the benefits they provide. In case your friends too have bought individual health coverage, discuss with them their satisfaction level and the drawbacks, if any. Also, visit your state health department to understand the state health insurance laws.