Types

• In the United States there are two main types of health care plans: private and public. Private health care is provided by insurance companies while public health care is provided by the government.
  
  

Function

• Health insurance plans help minimize the out-of-pocket costs people pay for medical procedures and doctor's visits. These plans don't cover everything like cosmetic surgeries.
  
  

Features

• Health insurance consists of a health maintenance organization (HMO) or preferred provider organization (PPO) plan. In a PPO, people choose their own doctors, while in an HMO a main doctor is chosen for the consumer.
  
  

Benefits

• Many health insurance plans have prescription plans that help lower the cost of medicine for the consumer. Some plans also pay a percentage of visits to alternative health practitioners like chiropractors.
  
  

Considerations

• Public health insurance is available to low-income families, federal employees including military personnel, children and seniors. Most self-employed people have to purchase a plan from a private company.