According to a UnitedHealth Group poll, more than half of young adults surveyed lack information about their options for health insurance. The poll surveyed 1,000 young adults between the ages of 18 and 21. The survey found that 67% of the students polled haven’t made any plans for health insurance when they graduate. 69% of those covered by their parent’s health insurance plans are unclear about the details of their coverage as well as 26% having no idea when their coverage will end.

Approximately 87% state that educators should do more to communicate information about obtaining health insurance and the basics of health insurance. Some of the options recent graduates and young adults have include:

• Employer-sponsored health insurance: If you’re lucky to get a job out of college, you will most likely have the option of an employer sponsored group plan. Benefits are usually very comprehensive and your employer pays for a portion of it if not all.

• Short term health insurance: If you are looking for a job and working part time or not at all for the meantime, getting a short term health insurance plan may be beneficial. Plans tend to last up to one year and you can cancel at any time. They are fairly low cost but they will most likely not cover any preexisting conditions.

• COBRA: COBRA, or the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986, lets students keep their coverage under their parents for up to 36 months. However, COBRA plans are expensive.

• Individual Health Insurance plan: If the above options don’t seem appealing, an individual health insurance plan is another option. Either going directly to a carrier like Aetna, or a health insurance broker, you can choose a plan that caters to your needs. You can also cancel at any time if you get a job or find another plan that suits you better.

Just remember, health insurance is vital and everyone should have it. If something were to happen, it will cost a lot more to treat you than that couple hundred you pay a month for your coverage.

Health Plan One offers the most competitive prices in the health insurance broker industry. They offer affordable prices to consumers from the most popular plans.

Plans include Aetna‘s Managed Choice Open Access 5000 in Connecticut, Anthem Blue Cross of CA’s SmartSense 2500 Deductible plan, and the UnitedHealthOne HSA 100 $2900 deductible plan in Pennsylvania. Other popular plans include the Humana Portrait Share 80 Plus RX Unlimited in Florida, the Aetna PPO 2500 in Ohio, and the CIGNA Open Access 5000 in Texas. Virginia’s top plans include Aetna’s PPO 2500, Anthem’s Essential KeyCare $2500, and Humana’s Autograph Share 80 Plus Rx. Washington’s top plans include Regence’s HSA Health Plan 2500, Lifewise’s WiseEssential 2500, and Group Health’s Balance 1500 Plan.

The above plans have monthly premiums that range from $62 for Virginia’s Anthem Essential KeyCare $2500 to $121 for Florida’s Aetna POS Open Access 5000. Other plans have premiums of $72 for Anthem Blue Cross of CA’s SmartSense 2500 Deductible Plan, $100 for CT’s Aetna Managed Care Open Access 5000, $63.60 for Ohio’s Anthem Lumenos HSA 5000 and $105 for Humana’s Autograph Share 80 Plus Rx in Texas. (All the plans monthly premiums have been calculated for a 25 year old female, non smoker)

Founded in 2005, Health Plan One is a licensed health insurance agency and a leading online health insurance market, offering the broadest selection of health plans to individuals, families and Medicare recipients.  Through its comprehensive Web sites, which include health plan comparison tools and extensive educational information, and its enhanced customer service model, individuals can purchase the best health plans to meet their health care coverage and affordability needs.  For more information, visit Health Plan One’s website.