Medical insurance is very important to have, but in this tough economy, many Americans are losing their coverage daily. Lack of medical insurance is one of the biggest health problems occurring today. Countless numbers of people are going without health care because they cannon afford to pay, and they do not have, or have recently lost their health insurance coverage.

For those who are very poor or retired, there may be some options for medical insurance through government programs such as Medicare or Medicaid. But, there are many people who do not qualify for those programs, and they are left without any type of medical insurance.

There are some options available for locating and pricing medical insurance. You can call on an insurance agent, who has many companies they represent. They compare and retrieve quotes for you based on your needs and statistics. They receive compensation, either from a fee or a commission, for doing their job for you. They may only work with certain companies they represent also, which could limit your choices.

More people are doing their own research on the internet to find medical insurance. Certain portal websites have seen their visiting traffic double in recent times, as people search for low cost coverage. They consider their websites to be free sources of consumer health resources. They provide information about individual health coverage, major medical insurance (catastrophic coverage only), and low cost insurance. These websites are not insurance agencies, nor do they sell insurance. Basically, they are a referral website, with links to insurance companies.

When you link to other insurance companies, then you are able to get free online quotes, and more information about those companies and their coverage. The referral company would get a commission if and when you purchase insurance after following the link to an insurance company. This is typical of most website link set ups, and very common. In this way, the referral website acts like an insurance agent who represents many companies.

One thing to beware of when you try to obtain free online quotes, is the amount of personal information you are asked to provide. Don't worry about providing your zip code, gender, age, or marital status. But, if the quote requires your name or phone number, beware that by providing that information, you may leave yourself wide open to unsolicited contacts by any number of other agencies. Some websites sell personal information. Read the About Us section, and fine print areas to determine if your information will be kept private or not.

If you cannot afford basic medical insurance, see if you could afford the major medical, or catastrophic coverage, which will help with major hospital costs. If you have children, there may be special government programs that are free but just for minor children. Another option available, even for large hospital bills, is to set up a payment plan. Most medical business are willing to work with you if you can make some type of regular monthly payments.