Once upon a time, when people needed medical attention, they paid the doctor directly for his or her professional advice. But times have changed. Modern medicine can work miracles our grandparents and great-grandparents never dreamed of - but at a staggering price. Nowadays, most Americans rely on a third party - either a private insurer, or a public governmental entity - to help them finance the cost of their medical needs. The following are various types of coverage offered by third party payers in the U.S.:

Private Health Insurance

        ☼       Job Based Coverage

        ☼       Individual Policies

        ☼       Association Health Plans

        ☼       Consumer Driven Health Plans

Government-funded Health Coverage

        ☼       Medicare

        ☼       Medicaid

        ☼       State High Risk Pools