text: Do you have any sort of chronic illness or condition that requires ongoing medical treatment? If you do, then the insurance you have with your company might be the least expensive that you’ll find. I would say go with less insurance coverage if you were comfortable with that, except for your age – you’re not 16 any more (and I haven’t been in a while, either, thank God). You don’t qualify for Medicare because you have to be 65 or have serious kidney problems. You’re best bet in finding out whether there is an affordable private insurance out there is to talk with local state-licensed health insurance agents. Below, I’ve included a link to a site that can help you do that. However, keep in mind that moving from a group health plan to an individual health plan negates the time you were insured at work. What I meant is that, if you have group health insurance (through work), and were to get another job, the new job would have to give you health insurance (as long as they offer it to their employees). You’re not protected in that way if you go to an individual plan. That’s why if you have a pre-existing condition, you might want to make sure the people at work won’t do something for you.\n\nHere are some quick thoughts. All the Web sites I mention are listed below.\n1.Welfare: It’s not insurance, exactly, but if you need help, you need help. The money you could save through the program could be used to help get insurance or afford your insurance at work.\n2.Medicaid: Link below to get in touch with your state’s Medicaid office.\n3.State Insurance Office (link below). Ask them about programs to assist people who are in your situation.\n4.Consumer Credit Counseling Services (CCCS): It’s free and they can help you and your daughter build up your credit and help with financial planning. They can also negotiate credit card debt to lower payments and interest rates. Make sure that if you go to a consumer credit counseling service they are part of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.\n5.Benefits Check Up (link below): Find out what government-sponsored program you’re eligible for. It’s not just for health insurance, and it’s provided by the National Council on Aging.\n6.Needy Meds: If you have a specific illness, there might be an organization that can help pay for your treatment (link below).\n\nI’d try to find help first, but I’d also check around to see how expensive private insurance would be. Visit MostChoice.com. It’s a site that provides free quotes and plan details on health insurance, but it also lets local insurance agents know you’re looking for a new health plan. There’s no cost or obligation. You just tell the agents what kind of coverage you need and the money you can spend, and they do all the legwork. Even if you don’t find anything that’s right for you, it will give you a good idea of what’s out there without having to do all the work yourself.\n\nYou can find it here: http://www.mostchoice.com/health-insurance.cfm\n\nGood luck.\n\nBarnes@MostChoice