Many employers are staying away from employer based health care benefits very simply
because it is becoming so expensive for them to provide their employees with the coverage they need. If you have the option to get your health insurance benefits through your employer then this will most likely be the best option for you. Employer based health insurance is usually much cheaper than private pay insurance very simply because it is based on a group policy rate and usually because your employer will chip in for the part of the premiums.
If you find yourself without a job or without the ability to receive health insurance benefits through your employer then you will probably find that you are struggling to find an insurance policy that will meet your needs and your budget. If you are eligible for COBRA benefits because you have recently become unemployed there are some government supplements that may be available to help reimburse you for your COBRA payments and this could be enough to help you get the health insurance benefits you need at a price you can afford.
Anyone who is living at or close to border line poverty levels, with children at home and without the luxury of enough cash, can seek help for their children from Medicaid. This government program will only help children and not the parents who might have to seek the services of a local free clinic should they succumb to illness and need health care, but don't have the health insurance coverage.
Perhaps you are in need of health insurance but have little to spend on monthly premiums. If this is the case then you may want to shop around online for a health insurance policy that will help you maintain insurance. A short term insurance option that won't cost you a lot of money in premiums will be something along the lines of a catastrophic policy or a temporary or short term plan. These policies will only provide you with limited coverage but they come with a much smaller premium then that of a major medical insurance coverage simply because there is less chance that you will actually need them.
Insurance coverage can be found in more than a few ways, but all the ways will cost you. The ideal solution is finding employment that will offer a health benefits insurance coverage package. If not, you still have some very viable options to secure at least some coverage while you endure these difficult times.