Options and opportunities for individuals and families in the private health insurance market.

A variety of options exist for coverage in the individual health insurance market. Coverage is state-regulated; this provides consumers with important access and benefit protection and ensures stability of insurers. Coverage for individuals is based on health history in most states, and most individuals either qualify for coverage or are able to find it through state high-risk pools and other state mechanisms. Since individual-market purchasers do not have an employer contribution to offset the cost of coverage, proposals for refundable tax credits offer great potential for making health insurance coverage more affordable for eligible persons.