EHealthInsurance has published a new Health Insurance Buyer's Guide to educate consumers new to the process of buying their own health coverage. It provides new and returning customers with the knowledge to help make informed purchase decisions in five easy steps.

* Step one, "Why You Need Health Insurance," addresses the value and necessity of health insurance.
* Step two, "Get to Know the Lingo," provides basic definitions about terms and acronyms necessary to start researching and comparing plans.
* Step three, "Assess Your Needs," helps consumers identify the amount of coverage they need, and the types of benefits they should look for in a policy.
* Step four, "Compare Your Options," outlines five key criteria for choosing a plan, common pitfalls to avoid, and other helpful buying tips.
* Step five, "Apply for Coverage," walks consumers through the application process and next steps after they get approved or denied for coverage.
   
"From the questions we get at our customer care center and the research we have conducted recently, it's clear that many Americans lack a good foundation of knowledge when it comes to health insurance," said Gary Lauer, chairman and CEO of eHealth, Inc. "We feel that, for the many entering this market for the first time, a buyer's guide on the fundamentals of health insurance can really help consumers move forward and make better decisions."

Ongoing research from eHealthInsurance supports the need for such a guide, revealing that:

Among Americans who receive health insurance from an employer (See Note 1):

* Almost two in three (64%) have no idea what their employer contributes toward their health insurance on a monthly basis.
* More than a quarter (27%) aren't aware of how much they pay out of their own pocket each month for health insurance.
* Only one in four (26%) are aware that private health insurance is typically less expensive than COBRA coverage.
   
Among college students (See Note 2):

* More than half (53%) either didn't know or declined to answer questions about standard benefits in private health insurance plans.
* Less than half could confidently define basic terms like premiums and co-insurance.
   
Among general consumers (See Note 3):

* Less than one-third could identify basic terms like HMO (36%), PPO (20%) or HSAs (11%).
   
Consumers can download the buyer's guide online at www.ehealthinsurance.com/guide.

Source Notes:

(1) eHealth Inc. Consumer Survey on Unemployment, May 2, 2009 http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/content/expertcenterNew/UnemploymentSurveyNewsWorthyAnalysis2009.pdf

(2) eHealth Inc. Consumer Survey of College Students, May 14, 2009 http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/content/expertcenterNew/CollegeStudentsSurvey_ToplineAndResults.pdf

(3) eHealth Inc. Demystifying Health Insurance, November 2007 http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/content/expertcenterNew/Demystifying-Health-Insurance-Survey-Results-01-10-08.pdf