If you or your spouse work for a large company, you're almost certainly covered by an employer-sponsored plan. If you have a choice of plans and need help deciding which one to choose, consult with friends or company benefits administrators.

If you are self-employed, unemployed, an early retiree, or work for a small business that doesn't provide insurance, try to buy insurance through a group. Call every professional organization, union, alumni association, or other group that you belong to, or could belong to, and ask if they offer insurance. If you own your own business you can buy group insurance if you have at least one employee. (Some states let you buy a group policy even if you are the only employee.) And if, within the past 60 days, you worked for a company that provided health insurance, you can usually get temporary coverage through your old plan for as long as 18 months (thanks to COBRA law). You may be required to pay the full premium, including all the costs your employer used to pay, plus a 2 percent administrative fee, but this will still be much less than what you would pay on your own.

If you can't find a way to get group insurance, buy an individual policy. You can lower the premiums by taking the highest possible deductible or by choosing a catastrophic policy, which covers only the biggest expenses, such as extended hospital stays or surgery. In either case, make sure your policy has the highest possible cap on total benefits. And set aside an emergency fund for unexpected medical bills.

Finally, if you're self-employed, you can deduct 60 percent of the cost of health-insurance premiums on your tax return. And if you're not self-employed, you may be able to deduct the cost of premiums if your medical expenses (including your premiums) exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income and if you itemize deductions.