With the current recession, many people have lost their jobs and with that they have also lost their Maryland healthcare plans. With the lack of available jobs, a lot of Americans are also turning to jobs where they are self employed which also makes it hard to have health insurance or Maryland HSA. This article will describe different ways unemployed people or self employed people can get and afford health insurance and why it is more important than ever to do so.

The H1N1 virus also known as the Swine flu has reached high levels affecting every state in the country now. The vaccine for this flu is still being worked on and the number of Americans contracting this sometimes deadly virus is growing. Recent news reports and articles have stated that health officials worry with the start of school happening in the next few weeks for most states, the swine flu will spread rapidly before the vaccine to prevent it becomes available. There were even some reports that compared it to the big flu pandemic in the early 1900's that killed thousands of thousands of people.

This new flu is just one example of why it is so important for people to have good healthcare so they can receive not only the preventive measures like vaccines but also the medical help that they may need if they get really sick without putting them in a desperate financial situation from high medical bills. Having well visits or checkups in addition to other routine medical care can greatly decrease the chances of getting a more serious medical problem in the future. For example if a woman with health insurance that regularly gets checkups including her yearly mammogram, she can get an early detection of a possible malignant lump in her breast that may be too small to feel at the time. This early detection ensures the most positive result.

People that are unemployed or self employed tend not to have health insurance because it is so costly. There are however a couple of options that they should consider. If you are unemployed temporarily, and had received health insurance from your previous employer there is a good way to maintain your same health insurance by getting on a COBRA plan. This is ideal for a temporary time in between jobs that will allow you and your family to maintain the same coverage that had been provided by your former employer.

Another option for unemployed as well as self-employed people is to seek out short term coverage with a variety of insurance companies. Because the economy is so difficult, they are seeing more and more people requesting short-term health insurance plans. Another option is to seek out a private policy or a group that will give you a better rate for your circumstances than a traditional company may be able to offer you and your family. Having a private health insurance plan also gives you greater options on what doctors you can go to as well as what hospitals you may use.