Medical Coverage It goes without saying that medical coverage in these days is not an option. Four days in a hospital recently cost me $17,000. I had insurance fortunately because the total cost for the appendectomy exceeded $30,000. Today you are fine, tomorrow... What kind of coverage is another question. The cost of medical insurance continues to increase. Those increases are caused by the spiraling cost of care. As a consumer looking for medical coverage, you need to ask yourself some basic questions to determine what type of coverage is best for you. Here are some key points to consider Self-employed people are more likely to purchase some type of deductible medical insurance rather than a fully paid HMO plan Read about Health Savings Accounts (HSA), large deductible plans with a tax qualified account to pay the deductibles. Click HSA on the left menu. Find an insurance agent the has experience in this field to help you with your selection. The state of Minnesota has minimum requirements on medical insurance but not all medical insurance policies are the same. There are advantages to group, if you qualify for it, over individual And there are advantages to individual In Minnesota, employers cannot sponsor individual medical coverage, it must be group Small group requires two employees A spouse does not qualify as an employee UNLESS FICA is paid by the corporation COBRA - It is likely that individual medical is cheaper than COBRA Short Term Medical will definitely be cheaper but be aware that pre-existing conditions are not covered Managed Care is a cost savings measure