Before deciding upon the health plan that suits your needs, you should first be aware of the plans that exist in the market. These plans can be broadly categorized under managed health care plans and fee-for-service health plans.

Managed health care plans are comparatively cheaper than the fee-for-service health plans. However, if you need to be hospitalized, then you?ll first need the approval of the insurance company -- otherwise you may not be covered for the medical and hospital bills.

Fee-for-service are the traditional health care plans and offer you the freedom to choose your own service providers and hospitals. At the same time, these plans are more expensive than managed care plans.

To decide which plan suits you best, you need to consider many factors. For example, you may be traveling frequently. If you choose the managed care health program, you may face difficulties, since the doctors and hospitals covered by these plans are restricted. If the listed medical professionals are not present in your area, you will not be covered for the medical bills.

You must become very familiar with how your plan works if you are going to ensure quality medical care. Some plans have their report cards, which are reports of surveys conducted on consumer feedback, preventive care, follow-ups of test results and more. Also, keep a lookout for magazine articles rating health plans. Additionally, you can also talk to the current members of the plan to get their feedback.